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A Letter To The New German Chancellor – politicalbetting.com

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  • LeonLeon Posts: 58,928
    algarkirk said:

    This seems very sensible.

    Can I ask AI experts a question. When AI is asked whether or not it possesses sentience, consciousness, awareness etc, has AI yet produced interesting or convincing replies, dialogues or conversations in either direction?
    Absolutely, yes
  • kamskikamski Posts: 6,165
    Leon said:

    You think if Apple withdrew from the UK market because of some obscure legal dispute between Apple and His Majesty's Government, then everyone else in the world would throw their iPhones in the bin and never buy a new Apple poduct ever, such is the infuence of UK soft power?

    I submit that you are on ketamine, but other than that, a flawless argument
    No I think if Apple made "all Apple products" in the UK "cease to function" over an "obscure legal dispute" nobody in their right minds would buy Apple again.

    I realise you have a mental age of about 7, but do try to remember what you wrote a few minutes before.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,484

    As an aside, RSA public key cryptography was invented in Britain but made an official secret because espionage (which was probably fed back to Moscow anyway) was deemed more important than squillions of pounds of ecommerce (and then the Americans RSA re-discovered, patented and announced it and now we can buy stuff off Amazon 24x7).
    It was actually unusable at the time - not enough computing power.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,617
    Phil said:

    You can challenge a true response & it will probably ”fess up” in the same way & agree with your challenge. These public LLMs have all been RLHF tuned to be very agreeable to their human conversation partner & to pretty much go along with whatever they say. You can counter this to some extent with a decent prompt, but not completely.

    The confidence the text they generate projects regardless of whether they’re right or wrong is a real problem. I don’t think anyone has managed to solve it yet, although the “thinking” variants might do a better job: What happens if you give the same problem to Deepseek R1, or Claude with thinking turned on?
    I see its advice on solutions (no pun intended) is confusing neutralising acidity/alkalinity with castration!
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,305
    edited February 27
    The EU will have to impose retaliatory tariffs on US imports, anything else would be seen as weak and just encourage Trump to impose even more tariffs. Even if the dollar strengthens somewhat reducing the impact.

    Of course China now has tariffs on its US exports, Canada and Mexico have only likely a temporary reprieve from US tariffs and Japan and South Korea likely won't avoid them either. So there won't be many foreign alternatives for US consumers anyway nor enough increase in US production to replace them.

    Both the UK and EU should encourage their consumers to buy more of their own goods and products certainly as Trump wants Americans to put American goods and products first
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,484
    Leon said:

    It is possibly too late for the EU/UK to reach tech parity with the US or China

    One of the big two - probably both? - will go FOOM soon and then they will be so far out of reach the attempt to catch up will be futile

    That said, once the robots are really ruling the world, they might turn Beijing and Washington into gloop, just for the lolz, so it won't matter. Such are the unique properties of an Event Horizon
    It’s called the Singularity.

    Aka The Rapture For Geeks.
  • Leon said:

    It is possibly too late for the EU/UK to reach tech parity with the US or China

    One of the big two - probably both? - will go FOOM soon and then they will be so far out of reach the attempt to catch up will be futile

    That said, once the robots are really ruling the world, they might turn Beijing and Washington into gloop, just for the lolz, so it won't matter. Such are the unique properties of an Event Horizon
    Baby steps. Build a few datacentres dotted around the country and use them to host BritCloud (or ScotCloud etc) and then migrate all government systems off of Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure and the other American clouds. Then market BritCloud to local businesses, and even privatise it down the road. All this is old technology but you can expand it to AI if you like.

    On AI, again much of the pioneering work was done here but DeepMind was sold to Google. One of its boffins, Demis Hassabis, won a Nobel Prize for AI-powered protein folding. Oh, and we've just cancelled Edinburgh's supercomputer.
  • kamskikamski Posts: 6,165
    MaxPB said:

    Lol that's delusional.
    Thinking that Apple would make all its products in the UK cease to function in 5 weeks isn't delusional? Moron
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,031
    In the measles outbreak in the US, up to one in five kids has not been vaccinated. And the new regime is going to do nothing to improve that. Far from it...

    "Looking at the data for Texas, it appears to pretty much fit the profile one would expect: high vaccine exemption rate in schools—one in five kids, apparently—85 of 90 cases unvaccinated, most cases—80 to 90—under the age of 18."

    https://www.newsweek.com/texas-measles-surge-inevitable-vaccine-exemptions-2035228
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,254

    RIP Gene Hackman. Looks like he went out on his own terms.

    Edit - though once again the Telegraph should sack their writers -or reprogramme their AI.

    "Hollywood star best known for his role in Bonnie and Clyde ..."

    I mean really??

    The French Connection, Unforgiven, Mississippi Burning, Superman, The Royal Tenenbaums?

    And they say his best known role was Bonnie and Clyde?

    The Conversation enters the conversation.

    Also, the Telegraph ??
  • LeonLeon Posts: 58,928
    kamski said:

    No I think if Apple made "all Apple products" in the UK "cease to function" over an "obscure legal dispute" nobody in their right minds would buy Apple again.

    I realise you have a mental age of about 7, but do try to remember what you wrote a few minutes before.
    Apple did almost exactly that in Russia, in 2022


    In 2022, Apple withdrew from Russia abruptly and thoroughly in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February of that year. The company took a series of decisive actions that effectively cut off its operations in the country:

    1. Immediate Halt of Product Sales

    On March 1, 2022, Apple announced that it had stopped selling all its products in Russia, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other devices. Russian customers were no longer able to order Apple products from the official Apple online store, and shipments to Russian retailers were suspended.

    2. Restrictions on Apple Pay and Financial Services

    Apple disabled Apple Pay in Russia, making it difficult for Russian users to make payments via their Apple devices. Several Russian banks were also removed from Apple Pay, aligning with Western sanctions that targeted Russia’s financial sector.

    3. Removal of RT and Sputnik from the App Store

    Apple removed Russian state-controlled media outlets, RT (Russia Today) and Sputnik, from its App Store globally to limit the spread of Kremlin-backed propaganda.

    4. Disabling Key Features in Russia

    Apple disabled traffic and live incident reports in Apple Maps in Ukraine and Russia to protect civilians from military movements and avoid potential misuse.

    5. Suspension of Advertising and Services

    Apple paused advertising on the App Store in Russia, affecting developers who relied on Apple’s ad services for revenue. Subscription-based Apple services like Apple News were also cut off.

    6. iCloud and Software Restrictions

    While some existing Apple devices in Russia continued to work, Apple restricted new software updates and services for users in Russia. Developers also found it far more difficult to distribute apps and services in the Russian market.

    7. Corporate and Retail Exit

    Apple closed its physical offices and corporate operations in Russia, effectively cutting ties with the country’s market. Employees in Russia were relocated or let go.

    Impact and Russian Response:

    Apple’s withdrawal made iPhones and other Apple products scarce in Russia, leading to a resale boom and gray-market imports from third-party countries like Turkey and Kazakhstan.

    Many Russian users switched to Android as Apple services became inaccessible.

    The Russian government pushed for homegrown alternatives, like promoting its own smartphone operating systems and digital payment solutions.

    Apple’s withdrawal was one of the most comprehensive exits in history by a major Western tech company, and unlike some firms that found ways to stay indirectly, Apple has never returned to the Russian market.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,254
    AnneJGP said:

    What are the washing instructions?

    Good morning, everybody.
    It's washable - presumably avoid the hot cycle though.
  • Nigelb said:

    The Conversation enters the conversation.

    Also, the Telegraph ??
    It was the first one that popped up on my feed with the news. :)
  • Cousin marriage: What new evidence tells us about children's ill health
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c241pn09qqjo

    Data from Bradford suggests the drawbacks are more extensive than thought.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,617

    In the measles outbreak in the US, up to one in five kids has not been vaccinated. And the new regime is going to do nothing to improve that. Far from it...

    "Looking at the data for Texas, it appears to pretty much fit the profile one would expect: high vaccine exemption rate in schools—one in five kids, apparently—85 of 90 cases unvaccinated, most cases—80 to 90—under the age of 18."

    https://www.newsweek.com/texas-measles-surge-inevitable-vaccine-exemptions-2035228

    Note that a few vaccinated people are getting it (as is to be expected given the high infectivity and the trashing of herd immunity).

    . I hope thta isn't used to try and do down vaccination even more than it is already being.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 54,177
    Cummings has a prediction about the Tory leadership:

    https://x.com/dominic2306/status/1894719592129343971

    NB. the Establishment plan is to shuffle in thicko Cleverley when Kemi blows.
    'We thought we had the Black Thatcher, she turned out to be the Black Truss, but now we got the Black Boris, ta-da!'
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,305

    Add in The Conversation, Reds, Postcards from the Edge, A Bridge Too Far, Get Shorty...
    And the Firm and Crimson Tide.

    Unfortunately sounds like he and his wife committed suicide
  • LeonLeon Posts: 58,928

    Baby steps. Build a few datacentres dotted around the country and use them to host BritCloud (or ScotCloud etc) and then migrate all government systems off of Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure and the other American clouds. Then market BritCloud to local businesses, and even privatise it down the road. All this is old technology but you can expand it to AI if you like.

    On AI, again much of the pioneering work was done here but DeepMind was sold to Google. One of its boffins, Demis Hassabis, won a Nobel Prize for AI-powered protein folding. Oh, and we've just cancelled Edinburgh's supercomputer.
    I just read Supremacy - about the "battle" between Hassabis and Altman to reach AGI

    I believe @rcs1000 knows Duke Demis of Datashire? Both studied comp tech at the Poly?

    Anyway it's an interesting book if not quite as good as the FT's hysteria suggests, and it makes it painfully clear that the UK had a real lead in AI thanks to DeepMind (and a couple of smaller companies) - more than any other European nation, for sure

    Was there a way we might have saved them from being swallowed by Google? Interestingly, Elon Musk lobbied the UK and others to prevent that sale, figuring it would give Google too much concentrated AI power....

    In another steampunk world Britain is home to five tech giants and we can now order the Chinese to give us Formosa or we cut off their banking
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,254

    Add in The Conversation, Reds, Postcards from the Edge, A Bridge Too Far, Get Shorty...
    ...Under Fire, Young Frankenstein, Poseidon Adventure...

    One of the true greats.

    (TBF to the Telegraph, Bonny and Clyde was the movie which helped make him famous.)

  • HYUFD said:

    And the Firm and Crimson Tide.

    Unfortunately sounds like he and his wife committed suicide
    RIP

    also the first two (decent!) Superman films, and Enemy of the State.
  • Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 33,191
    edited February 27
    Nigelb said:

    ...Under Fire, Young Frankenstein, Poseidon Adventure...

    One of the true greats.

    (TBF to the Telegraph, Bonny and Clyde was the movie which helped make him famous.)

    That's what made me think it was an AI script. Taking the first film he was Oscar nominated for instead of all the later work he was better known for.
  • FossFoss Posts: 1,301

    That's what made me think it was an AI script. Taking the first film he was Oscar nominated for instead of all the later work he was better known for.
    It could be an age thing. A lot of the younger generation don't watch older films and a twenty-something might just have cribbed it from wiki/imdb without actually ever having watched any of his work.
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,779
    edited February 27
    The EU has a surplus with the US in traded goods mostly offset by a deficit in services. The EU is the US' most important market in digital services. The EU has been regulating these services in ways the US doesn't like.

    If Trump's tariffs were purely pressure to achieve a desired result, the EU could offer something on digital services to get them removed. But Trump seems to think tariffs are desirable in themselves. They reduce imports and deliver revenue. In which case the EU would do better to remove its economic dependency on the US to the detriment of all, but particularly the US. Everyone else is trying to do the same thing of course.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,305

    Cummings has a prediction about the Tory leadership:

    https://x.com/dominic2306/status/1894719592129343971

    NB. the Establishment plan is to shuffle in thicko Cleverley when Kemi blows.
    'We thought we had the Black Thatcher, she turned out to be the Black Truss, but now we got the Black Boris, ta-da!'

    It isn't, Cleverly only came third with Tory MPs and is focused on running for London Mayor in 2028. If Kemi went it would be probably replaced by her Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride or Shadow Foreign Secretary Chris Philip, though given the Conservatives were ahead in a poll yesterday she might survive anyway
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,452
    Carnyx said:

    Note that a few vaccinated people are getting it (as is to be expected given the high infectivity and the trashing of herd immunity).

    . I hope thta isn't used to try and do down vaccination even more than it is already being.
    Vaccines don't prevent you catching disease (except via herd immunity) they make it so your own immune response is much stronger, thereby preventing serious illness, or even being symptomatic.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,617
    edited February 27
    Foxy said:

    Vaccines don't prevent you catching disease (except via herd immunity) they make it so your own immune response is much stronger, thereby preventing serious illness, or even being symptomatic.
    Indeed, thanks. But it's a common misconception - we've seen it on PB - and used as an anti-vax line of argument.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 58,928

    That's what made me think it was an AI script. Taking the first film he was Oscar nominated for instead of all the later work he was better known for.
    You're likely right

    I don't even remember him being IN Bonne & Clyde (partly because of the overwhelming presence of Faye Dunaway and Faye Dunaway's incredibly sexy name)

    For me his best role is in Unforgiven. Magnificent movie, magnificent performance
    .
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,683
    FF43 said:

    The EU has a surplus with the US in traded goods mostly offset by a deficit in services. The EU is the US' most important market in digital services. The EU has been regulating these services in ways the US doesn't like.

    If Trump's tariffs were purely pressure to achieve a desired result, the EU could offer something on digital services to get them removed. But Trump seems to think tariffs are desirable in themselves. They reduce imports and deliver revenue. In which case the EU would do better to remove its economic dependency on the US to the detriment of all, but particularly the US. Everyone else is firing to do the same thing of course.

    The EU isn't the most important market for digital services for US companies IMO, it's very low growth and heavily regulated.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,452
    AnneJGP said:

    What are the washing instructions?

    Good morning, everybody.
    Don't be absurd. Computer nerds don't wash!
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 5,395
    MaxPB said:

    The EU isn't the most important market for digital services for US companies IMO, it's very low growth and heavily regulated.
    Meta, for example:

    https://www.statista.com/statistics/251328/facebooks-average-revenue-per-user-by-region/
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,779
    Foxy said:

    Vaccines don't prevent you catching disease (except via herd immunity) they make it so your own immune response is much stronger, thereby preventing serious illness, or even being symptomatic.
    Vaccines may also reduce transmission to others if you are not spluttering microbes into the air.
  • Cummings has a prediction about the Tory leadership:

    https://x.com/dominic2306/status/1894719592129343971

    NB. the Establishment plan is to shuffle in thicko Cleverley when Kemi blows.
    'We thought we had the Black Thatcher, she turned out to be the Black Truss, but now we got the Black Boris, ta-da!'

    So we should lay Cleverly for London Mayor, which was his previously-mooted objective?

    PS if you want to call the man a thicko, at least spell his name right because otherwise it looks like, well, you get the picture.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,254

    That's what made me think it was an AI script. Taking the first film he was Oscar nominated for instead of all the later work he was better known for.
    Back in the day, it used to do the best obits.
  • kjhkjh Posts: 12,318
    edited February 27

    That's what made me think it was an AI script. Taking the first film he was Oscar nominated for instead of all the later work he was better known for.
    I don't tend to have a favourite actors. It is not my thing. But if I did, Gene Hackman would have been in the running. Seemed like a pretty decent man as well. And on that subject, I have always liked Telly Savalas. Again mainly because he appears to have been a decent human being as well as a good actor.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,452
    FF43 said:

    Vaccines may also reduce transmission to others if you are not spluttering microbes into the air.
    Yes, that matters too.

    Vaccines work best if everyone takes them, but are useful even when most people don't.
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,692
    edited February 27

    https://www.theguardian.com/news/2025/feb/27/andrew-tate-tristan-romania-us

    Andrew Tate has left Romania for US by private jet, reports say

    Is Donald going to put him up in Mar-a-Lago? :D
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,254
    Foxy said:

    Vaccines don't prevent you catching disease (except via herd immunity) they make it so your own immune response is much stronger, thereby preventing serious illness, or even being symptomatic.
    They do prevent measles trashing your immune system.
    Which it tends to do, as the cell receptor it targets is greatly overrepresented in the memory cells of the immune system.
  • Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 14,165

    So we should lay Cleverly for London Mayor, which was his previously-mooted objective?

    PS if you want to call the man a thicko, at least spell his name right because otherwise it looks like, well, you get the picture.
    The Fukkers have turned Stupidly's constiuency into an almost marginal. He could get unhorsed at the next GE which wouldn't be ideal if he were leader.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,006
    carnforth said:

    Meta, for example:

    https://www.statista.com/statistics/251328/facebooks-average-revenue-per-user-by-region/
    How does that differ (If it does) from consumption per capita in each of those regions ?

    Do Americans just like to buy lots of stuff ?
  • Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 33,191
    edited February 27
    Nigelb said:

    Back in the day, it used to do the best obits.
    I remember reading the Telegraph Obit for Fitzroy MacLean - the first time I ever saw a full page obit in a newspaper. And even then they couldn't fit in half of hs remarkable life.
  • Leon said:

    You're likely right

    I don't even remember him being IN Bonne & Clyde (partly because of the overwhelming presence of Faye Dunaway and Faye Dunaway's incredibly sexy name)

    For me his best role is in Unforgiven. Magnificent movie, magnificent performance
    .
    Agreed. Although I will probably remember him best for that wonderful brief comic turn in Young Frankenstein.
  • kjhkjh Posts: 12,318
    Foxy said:

    Yes, that matters too.

    Vaccines work best if everyone takes them, but are useful even when most people don't.
    Yes one of worst aspects of sufficient people refusing to take a vaccine is not only are they putting themselves at risk, but are also putting at serious risk those who are unable to take a vaccine who would have otherwise been protected by herd immunity.

    Utterly selfish.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,320
    GIN1138 said:

    Is Donald going to put him up in Mar-a-Lago? :D
    Cushions plumped and jacuzzi primed, I'm sure. Tate is a Trump sort of guy.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 23,780
    @rcs1000 I like your article. In a previous thread I asked a question about your YouTube channel. I know about https://www.youtube.com/@rsmithson1000 , but do you have something more recent? I need something to listen to whilst I work
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,006
    Wife, dog and Hackman all dead. No indication of foul play - Carbon monoxide poisoning ?
  • Pulpstar said:

    Wife, dog and Hackman all dead. No indication of foul play - Carbon monoxide poisoning ?

    That would be sad. I had kind of assumed they made a conscious decision to end things. Be a shame if it were something else.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 34,274
    Dura_Ace said:

    The Fukkers have turned Stupidly's constiuency into an almost marginal. He could get unhorsed at the next GE which wouldn't be ideal if he were leader.
    Morning all!

    IIRC Conservative Central Office sent assistance to Cleverly last time, rather than to his neighbour, Priti Patel. In the event it was about even.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,006

    That would be sad. I had kind of assumed they made a conscious decision to end things. Be a shame if it were something else.
    I'd think that if his wife was 93 but she is 63 years old and the dog too ? "No foul play" is being put out at the moment.
  • nico67nico67 Posts: 4,838
    kinabalu said:

    Cushions plumped and jacuzzi primed, I'm sure. Tate is a Trump sort of guy.
    The whole US administration is morally bankrupt , an absolute cesspit .
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,617
    https://www.theguardian.com/global/2025/feb/27/uk-bumblebee-numbers-fell-to-lowest-on-record-in-2024-shows-data

    Sad news about bumblebees - partly the weather last year. And potentially not great for gardeners or farmers. But Mrs C's garden will still be as full of flowers for them as possible.

    'Figures show 2024 was the worst year for bumblebees in the UK since records began.

    Bumblebee numbers declined by almost a quarter compared with the 2010-2023 average, according to data from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. The researchers said the drop was probably due to the cold and wet conditions in the UK last spring.'
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,484
    a
    nico67 said:

    The whole US administration is morally bankrupt , an absolute cesspit .
    Bit harsh on cesspits, that.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 23,935

    To take up a Cabinet position?
    Minister for Young Women?
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 29,652
    edited February 27
    Degrading, violent and misogynistic online pornography should be banned, a review of the industry is expected to say.

    Measures proposed in the review, commissioned by the previous government and led by Conservative peer Baroness Gabby Bertin, are understood to include making it illegal to possess or publish pornography showing women being choked during sex.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0q1wx3nzy9o

    Only in porn or will the government also ban simulated strangulation in mainstream drama, along with simulated shootings, stabbings and other forms of murder? It is a hard problem given this may condition real life behaviour but this looks like simplistic drivel. At least Mary Whitehouse was consistent.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,031
    Carnyx said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/global/2025/feb/27/uk-bumblebee-numbers-fell-to-lowest-on-record-in-2024-shows-data

    Sad news about bumblebees - partly the weather last year. And potentially not great for gardeners or farmers. But Mrs C's garden will still be as full of flowers for them as possible.

    'Figures show 2024 was the worst year for bumblebees in the UK since records began.

    Bumblebee numbers declined by almost a quarter compared with the 2010-2023 average, according to data from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. The researchers said the drop was probably due to the cold and wet conditions in the UK last spring.'

    Terrible year for moths as well. And moths do much of the heavy lifting on pollination. Not that they get much credit. It's always bloody bees this, bees that...

    (They travel further than bees when pollinating, resulting in a greater genetic mix...)
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,006
    Remember they have nabbed Georgescu in Romania too so something might be afoot. Hillary Clinton probably involved somehow tbh.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 34,274
    Carnyx said:

    https://www.theguardian.com/global/2025/feb/27/uk-bumblebee-numbers-fell-to-lowest-on-record-in-2024-shows-data

    Sad news about bumblebees - partly the weather last year. And potentially not great for gardeners or farmers. But Mrs C's garden will still be as full of flowers for them as possible.

    'Figures show 2024 was the worst year for bumblebees in the UK since records began.

    Bumblebee numbers declined by almost a quarter compared with the 2010-2023 average, according to data from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. The researchers said the drop was probably due to the cold and wet conditions in the UK last spring.'

    It's quite amusing watching the bees drinking in our bird-bath. Usually a lot more bees than birds.
    There are also bee resuscitation kits available; Granddaughter bought Mrs C one for her birthday last summer. So far we've rescued one bee!
  • Pulpstar said:

    I'd think that if his wife was 93 but she is 63 years old and the dog too ? "No foul play" is being put out at the moment.
    If there is no foul play and the couple and dog died then it may be carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty appliance. Spend £20 on an alarm.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 25,767

    The header is at least arguably reasonable from an economic viewpoint, but unwise from a political viewpoint. The US needs to feel that further sanctions would be uncomfortable.

    What is your BSky handle, please, @NickPalmer ?
  • Terrible year for moths as well. And moths do much of the heavy lifting on pollination. Not that they get much credit. It's always bloody bees this, bees that...

    (They travel further than bees when pollinating, resulting in a greater genetic mix...)
    Thinly-veiled attack on cousin marriage in the flowers community.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 54,177
    https://x.com/yougov/status/1894764760849137709

    A majority in all seven of our EuroTrack countries say immigration has been too high nationally

    🇩🇪 81% say too high
    🇪🇸 80%
    🇸🇪 73%
    🇬🇧 71%
    🇮🇹 71%
    🇫🇷 69%
    🇩🇰 55%
  • Dura_Ace said:

    The Fukkers have turned Stupidly's constiuency into an almost marginal. He could get unhorsed at the next GE which wouldn't be ideal if he were leader.
    If the Tories are losing appreciable numbers of seats at the next election from an extremely low base, then whoever is leader isn't going to be leader for very long anyway.

    The idea that a leader might lose their seat is interesting only if it's pivotal in some way - if they could have been important in the next Parliament if only they'd clung on.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,254
    Trump and Prince go back a long way.

    Trump allies circulate mass deportation plan calling for ‘processing camps’ and a private citizen ‘army’
    https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/25/documents-military-contractors-mass-deportations-022648
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,305
    Dura_Ace said:

    The Fukkers have turned Stupidly's constiuency into an almost marginal. He could get unhorsed at the next GE which wouldn't be ideal if he were leader.
    Given Cleverly opposed the cuts to overseas aid to fund defence, a position that puts him left of Starmer let alone Farage, the idea Tory MPs would move him from third to first is for the birds, let alone that Tory members would vote for him.

    As I said before he is going for London Mayor, where his more Cameroon/LD positioning will better place him

    https://x.com/JamesCleverly/status/1894661350321778715
  • Perhaps the best way for the EU to respond be to increase tariffs on US imports and reduce them on other imports.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,320
    MaxPB said:

    I think Rolls Royce is the most impressive British corporate turnaround story of all time. I can't remember anything that comes close, good for shareholders who got in during COVID too, I'm sitting at 9x now 👌

    Marks & Spencer has pulled off a 'dog to star' transformation. The shares have quadrupled in the last two years after a long period of underperformance.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,031

    It's quite amusing watching the bees drinking in our bird-bath. Usually a lot more bees than birds.
    There are also bee resuscitation kits available; Granddaughter bought Mrs C one for her birthday last summer. So far we've rescued one bee!
    Tree bumblebees are something of a success. They were virtually unknown in the UK twenty years ago, but now have made it up to the Scottish borders. They are the only bumblebee that nests above ground, and have a liking for bird boxes. I had some in a multi-box formerly used by house sparrows (another sad tale of decline...)
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 9,361
    Leon said:

    Apple did it to Russia in 2022. Apple seems to have survived this near-total withdrawal from the Russian market


    Of course this is an extreme example, but I am testing an extreme hypothesis, showing that the tech giants will cut off entire markets if suitably provoked. But of course it would never get that far, voter pressure on the UK government (which Putin does not have to worry about) would mean London would seek a compromise with Cupertino, probably quite a humiliating compromise for a sovereign nation cowed by a mere corporation
    I am going to assume you are trolling.

    The withdrawal from Russia following international sanctions and the invasion of a neighbouring democratic country is not comparable to a voluntary decision to terminate delivery of a service to customers in a mature western country.

    The problem is the walled garden - if Apple stops serving the UK then all those poor fools who spent £1,500 on an apple phone (ahem, @TheScreamingEagles) will have a useless hunk of junk.

    That will be used very effectively by their competitors in other markets. May be they would only lose 10-20% of their customers. But that’s a lot of money
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,254

    Tree bumblebees are something of a success. They were virtually unknown in the UK twenty years ago, but now have made it up to the Scottish borders. They are the only bumblebee that nests above ground, and have a liking for bird boxes. I had some in a multi-box formerly used by house sparrows (another sad tale of decline...)
    Any pictures ?
    Good use of your daily allowance ..
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 9,361


    What is your point? It is mathematically impossible and if you think a British court can overpower the government of the United States (and mathematics) then I've got a bridge to sell you. And that is betting without American courts nixing any warrant served on Apple.
    Then the courts can hold Apple UK in contempt.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,254
    X can still be interesting, amongst the proliferating rubbish.

    Drone giant DJI didn't appear overnight.

    Their decade-long dominance stems from CEO Frank Wang.

    Wang's research and his eventual 2011 thesis defined the blueprint that revolutionized quadcopters forever.

    Let's revisit this thesis here:

    https://x.com/akapoor_av8r/status/1894795258728456606
  • FeersumEnjineeyaFeersumEnjineeya Posts: 4,712
    edited February 27

    Cousin marriage: What new evidence tells us about children's ill health
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c241pn09qqjo

    Data from Bradford suggests the drawbacks are more extensive than thought.

    An interesting read. I wasn't actually aware that Queen Victoria and Albert were first cousins.

    It does raise intersting issues. Should our government also ban first cousin marriages, as Norway does and Sweden intends? Or is this a step too far in government interference in people's lives? I'd tend towards the former, but am unsure.
  • kamskikamski Posts: 6,165
    Foxy said:

    Vaccines don't prevent you catching disease (except via herd immunity) they make it so your own immune response is much stronger, thereby preventing serious illness, or even being symptomatic.
    What's that supposed to mean? If your immune system stops measles viruses multiplying, and you neither pass the disease on or have any symptoms then in what sense have you caught measles?

    That's a big difference between the covid vaccines which mainly prevented serious illness, but still allowed transmission and less serious symptoms (hence no herd immunity was possible via vaccination), and measles vaccines which stop 97% of children with 2 doses catching measles.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,484
    s

    And Apple withdraw from the UK. There is an inevitablility about this that you don't seem to comprehend.
    Note that the next one to go is Signal - they will quit the U.K. market if they are given the alternative of a backdoor or cease trading.
  • kjhkjh Posts: 12,318
    edited February 27

    Tree bumblebees are something of a success. They were virtually unknown in the UK twenty years ago, but now have made it up to the Scottish borders. They are the only bumblebee that nests above ground, and have a liking for bird boxes. I had some in a multi-box formerly used by house sparrows (another sad tale of decline...)
    I had a bumble bee nest in a box usually used by tits. After they departed/died I took it out and my daughter took it to (junior) school. As she is 24 that would be something like 15 years ago. That was in Surrey.

    Also a few years ago while tidying up a pile of western red cedar branches I disturbed a bumble bee nest (so stopped). I looked them up, but can't remember the name now. They were small for bumblebees and very yellow so not the typical big ones that have a lot of black.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,006

    An interesting read. I wasn't actually aware that Queen Victoria and Albert were first cousins.

    It does raise intersting issues. Should our government also ban first cousing marriages, as Norway does and Sweden intends? Or is this a step too far in government interference in people's lives? I'd tend towards the former, but am unsure.
    £50,000 up front payment to the NHS if you really want to go ahead with it.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 23,935

    Degrading, violent and misogynistic online pornography should be banned, a review of the industry is expected to say.

    Measures proposed in the review, commissioned by the previous government and led by Conservative peer Baroness Gabby Bertin, are understood to include making it illegal to possess or publish pornography showing women being choked during sex.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0q1wx3nzy9o

    Only in porn or will the government also ban simulated strangulation in mainstream drama, along with simulated shootings, stabbings and other forms of murder? It is a hard problem given this may condition real life behaviour but this looks like simplistic drivel. At least Mary Whitehouse was consistent.

    Yet we are persistently told the liberals are apparently in charge. Which liberals? In charge of what precisely?
  • LeonLeon Posts: 58,928

    I am going to assume you are trolling.

    The withdrawal from Russia following international sanctions and the invasion of a neighbouring democratic country is not comparable to a voluntary decision to terminate delivery of a service to customers in a mature western country.

    The problem is the walled garden - if Apple stops serving the UK then all those poor fools who spent £1,500 on an apple phone (ahem, @TheScreamingEagles) will have a useless hunk of junk.

    That will be used very effectively by their competitors in other markets. May be they would only lose 10-20% of their customers. But that’s a lot of money
    As I have said I was using an extreme case to prove an extreme hypothesis. In reality, it would never get this far, the UK government would cave in to Apple, because voters would demand it
  • kamskikamski Posts: 6,165

    Apple have already responded by switching off the highest levels of security which mean that all Apple products in the UK are now less safe and more prone to hacking and cyber attack than the same products anywhere else in the world.

    How is that good for UK consumers? The UK Government has just made the online environment significantly less safe for UK citizens. Great job
    It's not good. But it doesn't make "Apple threatening to make all Apple products cease to function in the UK in 5 weeks" (even if technically possible) plausible.
  • Alphabet_SoupAlphabet_Soup Posts: 3,537

    I am going to assume you are trolling.

    The withdrawal from Russia following international sanctions and the invasion of a neighbouring democratic country is not comparable to a voluntary decision to terminate delivery of a service to customers in a mature western country.

    The problem is the walled garden - if Apple stops serving the UK then all those poor fools who spent £1,500 on an apple phone (ahem, @TheScreamingEagles) will have a useless hunk of junk.

    That will be used very effectively by their competitors in other markets. May be they would only lose 10-20% of their customers. But that’s a lot of money
    I'm an innocent in these matters and hesitate to butt in, but don't all the other US tech giants use encryption too? Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft etc? Why is Apple particularly exposed to Starmer's machinations?
  • LeonLeon Posts: 58,928
    kjh said:

    I had a bumble bee nest in a box usually used by tits. After they departed/died I took it out and my daughter took it to (junior) school. As she is 24 that would be something like 15 years ago. That was in Surrey.

    Also a few years ago while tidying up a pile of western red cedar branches I disturbed a bumble bee nest (so stopped). I looked them up, but can't remember the name now. They were small for bumblebees and very yellow so not the typical big ones that have a lot of black.
    Apparently "wild bumblebee honey" was considered a delicacy by rustic folk and diddycoi in 19th century Britain

    It's probably horrible, but I've always liked the notion
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 23,935
    Leon said:

    As I have said I was using an extreme case to prove an extreme hypothesis. In reality, it would never get this far, the UK government would cave in to Apple, because voters would demand it
    So you think the whole policy would just crumble?
  • Then the courts can hold Apple UK in contempt.
    In your scenario it would be Apple US not UK but in any case, how will they explain it to a hostile White House and what would be the point given they would have been demanding the impossible?
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 54,177
    https://x.com/nexta_tv/status/1895059527675888029

    Pentagon issues memo stating that transgender service members will be discharged from the military
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 34,274

    s

    Note that the next one to go is Signal - they will quit the U.K. market if they are given the alternative of a backdoor or cease trading.
    Well, I sincerely hope Apple don't withdraw services from UK. Both Mrs C and I have Apple phones, although by no means the latest. I suppose it would provide an excuse to buy new phones.

    I wonder, would Mac services be disrupted.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,320
    Pulpstar said:

    £50,000 up front payment to the NHS if you really want to go ahead with it.
    And the same if (eg) you want to start smoking. We'll soon balance the books with that model.
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 9,361

    And Apple withdraw from the UK. There is an inevitablility about this that you don't seem to comprehend.
    Of course. But a legal judgement can be enforced in other countries.

    Of course it’s not going to get that far.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,484

    I'm an innocent in these matters and hesitate to butt in, but don't all the other US tech giants use encryption too? Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft etc? Why is Apple particularly exposed to Starmer's machinations?
    The issue is end-to-end-encryption

    That is, Apple themselves cannot access your data.

    This is the gold standard for privacy and security.

    Other companies, that use E2E encryption may well follow Apple. Signal (A better version of WhatsApp) almost certainly will

    The government passed a law demanding a backdoor. It also demanded that compliance with the law be secret. We only learned of Apple’s refusal via a leak in the US.

  • An interesting read. I wasn't actually aware that Queen Victoria and Albert were first cousins.

    It does raise intersting issues. Should our government also ban first cousin marriages, as Norway does and Sweden intends? Or is this a step too far in government interference in people's lives? I'd tend towards the former, but am unsure.
    I don't know. It is a hard problem and no doubt clever people are, well, let's face it, looking the other way.

    Maybe something could be done around visas where one partner is flown in for an arranged marriage but then all that would do is move the marriage ceremony abroad.

    It may be that time and education solve the problem, with younger, UK-educated women rejecting the practice, as in the family in the article.

    One complicating factor is endogamy (about halfway through the article) where any concentration of marriages within small communities can lead to similar outcomes owing to common ancestors further back.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 79,006
    kinabalu said:

    And the same if (eg) you want to start smoking. We'll soon balance the books with that model.
    £50,000 one off tax is very cheap if you're a pack a day man or woman.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,484

    Of course. But a legal judgement can be enforced in other countries.

    Of course it’s not going to get that far.
    Apple not providing a back door has been legally judged in the US as their right. All the way to the Supreme Court.

    So any attempt to go after Apple US in the courts, by the U.K., will fall on constitutional grounds.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,421
    kinabalu said:

    And the same if (eg) you want to start smoking. We'll soon balance the books with that model.
    Isn't that effectively what happens (and more when you consider social health savings when smokers die relatively early)?
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 23,935
    kinabalu said:

    And the same if (eg) you want to start smoking. We'll soon balance the books with that model.
    Smoke 20 a day for 60 years is over a quarter of a million in tax.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,320
    Pulpstar said:

    £50,000 one off tax is very cheap if you're a pack a day man or woman.
    Sadly true.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 29,652
    edited February 27

    The issue is end-to-end-encryption

    That is, Apple themselves cannot access your data.

    This is the gold standard for privacy and security.

    Other companies, that use E2E encryption may well follow Apple. Signal (A better version of WhatsApp) almost certainly will

    The government passed a law demanding a backdoor. It also demanded that compliance with the law be secret. We only learned of Apple’s refusal via a leak in the US.

    Funny thing is that American telecomms companies have been subject to similar laws – for backdoors with secret compliance (like superinjunctions, I guess) – for decades. I've seen one American CEO sit in silence when asked at a shareholders' meeting because it would have been illegal for him to confirm, deny or even acknowledge the possibility. As someone (you?) noted above, this led to infestation by Russian and Chinese spies.
This discussion has been closed.