:) Slashdot wants me to type more here, so, la de dah, de dah, de lah. I do like a strong pick me up after a galactic snooze.

I love their stuff, just yesterday received a 140w GanPower charger with a little built in display. Anyway, thought they were founded by ex Google and Apple employees from USA.

Are you sure out crime rate is lower than Europe and USA? Keep an eye on X or some of our local newspapers that cover it better than the MSM. Two fatal stabbing within walking distance of my home in West Sussex on the seafront. But yes, you are spot on about our country frog boiling into an Orwellian state. British don't care and tend to say things like "If you haven't done anything wrong you have nothing to worry about." Yet thought crime is now a thing.

But faster, and black.

With what is going on here in Total Surveillance & Arrested for Hurty Words Land, you can bet true state sanctioned mind reading will become a thing within 5 years here. They are already about to ban & monitor banter (in person chat) in our last bastions of social liberty, the pub. All to stop us taking the pee out of men who pretend to be women because narsassistic tendancies by misgendering them.

But it will happen covertly somewhere like designer babies that have been offered since the late 1990s to 'parents' willing to pay. Saw an ad in the Palo Alto Weekly in the 1990s that allowed 'parents' to select the characteristics of their 'child'. Ad was by a biomed company trailing the technique. The ethical factors here are off the scale.

You win the Internet today, Big Ballz.

They start playing automatically in the background with loud obnoxious 'music'. Trying to mute or pause them is a faff. V stressful. Anti social too if you are in a quiet place without headphones and only intentionally playing audio or music. Should be banned.

Agreed.

As asking about politicians on chatGPT proves, the bias in AI is tangible, just like the woke nature of Wikipedia. I would like ALL AI data hosted on a large data store in a physical location. I want the ability to disconnect that server physically, and any connection with the outside world.

*small enough. #testies

I went into a posh gastro pub to work (and spend money on drinks and snacks), but an Asian woman was at a table behind me using the speakerphone to talk to someone, loudly too. I could not focus, even with my AirPods in. I kept looking at her initially politely as if to say, "Do you mind?". As I turned down the subtleness, no change. I ended up getting up to leave and mentioned this to one of the staff. His response, "That's my floor manager." I give up. I'm seeing this more and more in the UK, but always women, never males. I think they like the attention.

Correct! It's awful. Never understood the success of Roblox.

It can't be true. ;) Next up, the enlectricity grid and daily power outages. Investigate!

Greetings from England. Those I know who drink socially are healthier, live longer and are generally, more fun and less aggressive than those that don't. My father didn't drink, and never relaxed, so was grumpy a lot and died at 78 of a heart attack. The females in my family who drink live/lived long lives, one 98. Yes, abuse, as per drugs, potato fries/chips, chocolate or ice cream, is not going to end well, but having a laugh with mates or lady friends over a drinkipoo is a vital tonic. Not as easy when sober, the latter required for work and driving of course. One tip to prevent over drinking or spending when socialising, take cash, and only enough to buy yourself your limit and one for a buddy. (For me, this is £10/$12.) Harder today with electronic payment where you can spend as much as you have in the bank or on credit! I know many accomplished people who get pretty sloshed, but it's a great way to unwind a lot of mental stress. Again, socially! Mates keep you safe. Drinking alone is a problem unless an evening tipple, although that means you'll wake up 3am needing a wee. ;) (I use sleeping pills for that.)