The unimportant news thread

[AnotherSpin]

Learning how to manage your own body / mind sounds well worth pursuing and an activity based in your own internal reality .

It seems to me that the task of learning to manage the body or the mind is pointless. An impossible task, as both are rather ephemeral. Still, the process itself can at least be amusing, especially if you try to manage the body with the mind and the mind with the body .

[hopefullytrusting]

Learning how to manage your own body / mind sounds well worth pursuing and an activity based in your own internal reality .

Agreed, in full.

[drogulus]

     The news on the purported armed rebellion in Iran contains no mention of Pakistan. Considering where it's occurring in Balochistan I suspect the Paks are involved, particularly since the supposed rebels are using artillery. Iranian rebels with artillery?

[LKB]

Big earthquake near Kamchatka, being reported as either 8.6 or 8.7.

Tsunami warnings over a wide area, from Alaska to Hawaii, and even an advisory here.

[hopefullytrusting]

I love my Instagram algorithm. Just suggested to me three magazines: 1994 (aka 1984), Ares, and Echo of Futurepast.

[hopefullytrusting]

I'm teaching how to use ai in my classes, and it is fun to show its knowledge gaps (because of knowledge gaps on the web) to students (who I think are always surprised) - I normally do this with Hackers and Spycraft (two cultural artifacts I know like the back of my hand), lol.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Tiny fireball that crashed into Georgia home in the USA is 4.56bn-year-old meteorite, say experts.



https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/11/fireball-mcdonough-meteorite-atlanta-home

[DavidW]

I'm teaching how to use ai in my classes, and it is fun to show its knowledge gaps (because of knowledge gaps on the web) to students (who I think are always surprised) - I normally do this with Hackers and Spycraft (two cultural artifacts I know like the back of my hand), lol.

I sat through a good talk today on what LLMs actually are and how to use them ethically.

[hopefullytrusting]

I sat through a good talk today on what LLMs actually are and how to use them ethically.

I do talk about ethics to a degree, but given the way the world is - I am also bluntly honest about the cost of being ethical, and trust the students to make their own decisions.

I'm mainly trying to show them how to use AI more efficiently (for our work) which will make them more efficacious which will make them more effective which will make them more productive which will make the company more profit in hopes that it will all lead to a promotion. (my EEEPPP spiel, lol)

[JBS]

I do talk about ethics to a degree, but given the way the world is - I am also bluntly honest about the cost of being ethical, and trust the students to make their own decisions.

I'm mainly trying to show them how to use AI more efficiently (for our work) which will make them more efficacious which will make them more effective which will make them more productive which will make the company more profit in hopes that it will all lead to a promotion. (my EEEPPP spiel, lol)

Sales managers at my old employer used the anagrams WIIFM and WITM.

What's In It For Me.
Where Is The Money.

[hopefullytrusting]

Sales managers at my old employer used the anagrams WIIFM and WITM.

What's In It For Me.
Where Is The Money.

The classic - ABC - Always Be Closing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X3p42GaM5I

[steve ridgway]

I do talk about ethics to a degree, but given the way the world is - I am also bluntly honest about the cost of being ethical, and trust the students to make their own decisions.

The phrase "Business Ethics" always makes me laugh. One employer sent us all an email asking us to vote for them in a competition for most ethical company in their field - but do it from personal email accounts, not company ones .

[AnotherSpin]

The phrase "Business Ethics" always makes me laugh. One employer sent us all an email asking us to vote for them in a competition for most ethical company in their field - but do it from personal email accounts, not company ones .

If that doesn't win them "Most Ethical Company", it should at least bag them "Most Creative Interpretation of the Word Ethics".

[Kalevala]

From a BBC article:  "Starbucks customers in South Korea have been asked to stop bringing "bulky items" into cafes to do their office work, after some brought printers and desktop computers.

Others had brought in partitions and more than one computer to mark their office territory."

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c207v3q9w08o

K

[drogulus]

    The guards for Xi Jinping have been replaced by personnel chosen by the CMC (Central Military Commission) run by Zhang Youxia. I mentioned him a month ago as one of the new power brokers.

     It's not so good for Xi that he's no longer in control of his own guards. It's this guy:



     

[LKB]

The guards for Xi Jinping have been replaced by personnel chosen by the CMC (Central Military Commission) run by Zhang Youxia. I mentioned him a month ago as one of the new power brokers.

    It's not so good for Xi that he's no longer in control of his own guards. It's this guy:



   

I expect Xi will be " retiring " before the end of the year, assuming some unfortunate accident or rare illness doesn't do the job beforehand.

[drogulus]

I expect Xi will be " retiring " before the end of the year, assuming some unfortunate accident or rare illness doesn't do the job beforehand.

     It seems the factions are trying to maintain the facade of unity. That's the case with the Hu Jintao group of elders. It's notable that Hu isn't seeking revenge for his public humiliation, and actually wants Xi to continue in some capacity under a return to collective leadership.

[LKB]

It seems the factions are trying to maintain the facade of unity. That's the case with the Hu Jintao group of elders. It's notable that Hu isn't seeking revenge for his public humiliation, and actually wants Xi to continue in some capacity under a return to collective leadership.

A good point. I sometimes fail to remember that Russia and China are different types of dictatorships, and the " Sino-subtleties " do allow for a wider range of options.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

International Travellers Disappear Across the US: Las Vegas Joins New York, Colorado, Maine, New Hampshire, Washington, and Texas in Tourism Freefall.



https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/las-vegas-joins-new-york-colorado-maine-new-hampshire-washington-and-texas-in-tourism-freefall-as-canadian-and-international-travellers-disappear-across-the-us/

[LKB]

International Travellers Disappear Across the US: Las Vegas Joins New York, Colorado, Maine, New Hampshire, Washington, and Texas in Tourism Freefall.



https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/las-vegas-joins-new-york-colorado-maine-new-hampshire-washington-and-texas-in-tourism-freefall-as-canadian-and-international-travellers-disappear-across-the-us/

Gee, I wonder why...