Friendly chat

I too have strong concerns that there are fingers on the scales when it comes to modern measurements.

Hello, I'm grateful for our Friendly Chat topic. For me it's just as though you are sat in my lounge here, or me in yours, only when I've had a shower, or we are sat in a Coventry hotel, supping a wee dram or I'll have half. Pass the port, please. Anyway, A trend in modern minds is what I call a tic-box, mentality. I've mentioned this before, but I would love to hear feed back on this, because maybe I'm wrong. It's as though reason or the ability to reason is disappearing fast. I first noticed it in education policy, maybe the end of the seventies. It's now in every aspect of society, including sport. The international game that I was listening to just earlier is a classic example, as was the recent Coventry game, where a judgement was made on a computer model, where the computer cannot measure "Intent". I'm concentrating on the fibre of reason in what I'm posting here. Not the specific examples or outcomes whatever. Have we or are we fast losing the ability to reason? I honestly believe that we are. I'm touching on the conversation that we were having recently about education in this, because that's where I believe this scenario starts. I mean every word of my appreciation about our forum. It's not sentimental. It's not a cover for me to post dodgy material. It's our living forum, that's vibrant, respectful, where no matter where we are, we are all learning. I believe that on its own makes our forum unique. Yes, I'm so proud to be a part.

I wonder if you watched the Christmas lectures about AI Philip. It was very interesting and being aimed at children it is easier to understand, but one of the things they kept pointing out when demonstrating what AI can do is to point out it cannot have original thoughts, it is all about it learning data. I imagine that these computers are based on something similar. They are programmed with the rules and that is it but it does take the interest out of the game.

Hello, Anne, Yes, I certainly believe that. I didn't see the Christmas Lectures you mentioned, although in past times I've always enjoyed watching them. Thank you so much.

Philip, you are spot on. We have replaced western civilisation's truth seekers and entrepreneurs wth bureaucrats where all that matters is 'procedure'. We have replaced rulers (by which I mean the unelected, the elected ones are only there to carry the can when things go wrong!) by experts who narrowly focus on their particular "bee in the bonnet" and are unable to take a wholistic view. I fear the future, though there is perhaps not much of that I will experience (fortunately?). Although "artificial neural networks" can absorb all the knowledge we have written, Geoffrey Hinton, the guy who discovered the way of training them, admits that human brain's do not learn in the same way. Our brains have evolved to cope with the unexpected, what is not in the next box we have to tick. I am sojourning in warmer places in the south of France atm. My village has been an oasis of M

Hello, I've actually, been quite comfortable out & about today. The first for ages.

32 C in Montelimar this afternoon, expected 27 C, just weather? It was cold when I was here in May. Check with https://wattsupwiththat.com/ for how US's weather stations are reporting higher temperatures because their original rural siting is now an urban one. God help us when all data becomes controlled by politics.

I was an early reader of Wattsupwiththat.

Hello, There's a possibility of some wet, during Friday, possibly into Saturday, plus it could all come crashing down by the middle of next week. This is ONLY my opinion. I saw good chart information last evening, but when I tapped a barometer in a friends house this morning, it wasn't saying what the charts had told me. Honestly, we are in uncharted territory as far as predicting weather. It's not just the fault of the forecasters. On with your tea. Talking of tea, some of my financial info is reporting trouble ahead for KFC & McDonalds, plus some other fast food. Fish & chips though are general doing quite well.

I'm a long term KFC customer (see Preston Lancashire) but it's getting to be months and months between visits. They've never recovered since the chicken shortage fiasco and while their chips were always poor, they're now utterly revolting. Talking of chips and investment I wish I'd invested in NVIDIA, especially as I'm on my 5th machine with their graphics chips in.

This is my third journey this year to 700 miles S.E. of Coventry. I can confirm the weather has been colder and wetter than usual this year. Although it hit 32 C on Wednesday It rained all day yesterday and through the night. Some orange dust in the drops. Our river, that usually is beginning to dry up round about now, is fast flowing and full of large trout.

Mmmm, full of large trout....

The river used to be vital for the village while it was a centre of silk weaving until 1960. (I wonder where I have heard a similar story?). Now agricuture draws so much water the flow disappears underground for 3 months of the year causing closure of the campsite tourist attraction and death to the fish. (The cats are very happy though!) The main crop is maise of which a large proportion goes to make E10 petrol so we can all feel good about saving the planet. I will wait in expectation of the village restaurant having trout meuniere on the menu. Forgot the weather report: thunder and heavy rain p.m. temp 22 C (change from 32 C Wednesday!), probably warmer in Cov .

Hello, I'm having a day in today. I've been so busy with out & about duties, that it's nice to be at home. What I'm about to tell you, please don't share to Master Chef. I always keep a couple of frozen meals for when I'm on my own. Morrison's have three for £6 at present. Just a Kershaw ready dinner. I call them airline dinners from past experience, but adding a few Royals, it was very nice & certainly filled a gaping hole in my tum. Sorry, Anne, no tableware & eating out of the plastic tray. That's a detention, I know.

Don't tell anyone Philip but that is what we are having tomorrow, as we are going out to a car meet for a while. With a few extra veggies like you have done, probably the liver and onions. Shush!