BRFR Cake Stop 'breaking news' miscellany

[briantrumpet]

Perhaps the more philosophical/existential argument, but one I fully agree with. The problem with the "tech bros" is that their fascination is with making money through new technology and they have hit on the (rather successful) formula that the way to do this is to make basic human functions and experiences "simpler". As you point out, the problem is that much of this erodes human agency and personal interaction which seems to have the largely obvious consequence of diminishing the human experience (whilst convincing most that it actually enhances it).

I don't think it's "philosophical/existential" any more than it would be to say that it would be detrimental to the human body to let machines do our physical exercise for us: if we don't use our bodies and brains the way they've evolved to be to deal with the physical and cognitive challenges that surround us, they just won't be equipped well to deal with those challenges.

The absolute miracle of the human brain is that we are born with one which is only minimally pre-programmed, and it relies on its interaction with its environment to achieve its full potential. Deny it an essential part of that interaction, and it'll have a big gap in its capabilities and ability to conceptualise.

 

[Pblakeney]

Shouldn't that be:

Even more so in the future than today.
Some of us are still thinking. 😉

 

[briantrumpet]

Breaking (out) news:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgrxn4x7yx2o

Two bears who sparked the evacuation of a wildlife park involving trained firearms staff and police had headed straight for the honey store, the park has said.

Wildwood Devon, a conservation charity near Exeter, said European brown bears Mish and Lucy made their way to the food store after breaking free - and then consumed a "week's worth of honey".

 

[Pblakeney]

I do like a Pooh story.

 

[briantrumpet]

An actually fairly modest 'modest proposal' on taxing multi-billionaires

https://mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/06/a-minimum-tax-on-billionaires.html

 

[Ian H]

I do like a Pooh story.

I assume you're not just talking sh!t.

 

[briantrumpet]

I assume you're not just talking sh!t.

Poo sticks (if of the right consistency and thrown at a wall).

 

[First Aspect]

Poo sticks (if of the right consistency and thrown at a wall).

I thought they also floated?

 

[matticus]

Breaking (out) news:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgrxn4x7yx2o

PEOPLE!! pay attention for the cutest part of this story!!
The pair of bears were rescued from a snowdrift in the Albanian mountains

 

[Ian H]

I thought they also floated?

I think this is a dietary question.

 

[briantrumpet]

I thought they also floated?

That's a secondary question.

 

[First Aspect]

There is actually an annual pooh sticks championships held in woodland near Dorchester on Thames. Presumably you need to watch where you step.

 

[matticus]

There is actually an annual pooh sticks championships held in woodland near Dorchester on Thames. Presumably you need to watch where you step.

🎶... if you go down to the woods today, you;'re in for a big surprise ...

 

[briantrumpet]

 

[briantrumpet]

Maybe this is an example of sensible use of AI:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ecb-economists-improve-gdp-forecasting-with-chatgpt-2025-06-26/

A ChatGPT analysis of qualitative commentary in PMI releases can significantly improve GDP forecasting, a paper published by the European Central Bank of Thursday showed.
The ECB has been working with artificial intelligence in recent years, partly to improve its forecasting ability by web-scraping price data and using large language models for data classification.
However, this new study found that even relatively little text associated with PMI releases can provide meaningful guidance on economic developments, improving its ability to assess activity in real time.

Finding big data and crunching it and turning it into useful forecasts.