Notices by Lauren Weinstein (lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org)

AI is one of the most horrific risks to human civilization in history. NOT because some imaginary super intelligent AI would take over the world, but because Big Tech CEOs are using generative AI to utterly destroy the ability of anyone to trust information. These billionaire CEOs -- who Trump accurately says are "kissing his ass" -- are "poisoning the well" of our information society, while decimating their workforces, screwing society, and smiling all the way to the bank.

Herb Alpert at 90, about a month ago. Fun Fact: When he released his first album "Whipped Cream and Other Delights" in 1965, he (at least initially) did not like the cover photo, which became incredibly iconic (yeah, I have this original vinyl album). Even more interesting is that at the time despite the nomenclature "Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass", there actually was no such group. After the smash success of the album, he rushed to form one, calling on the talents of L.A. session musicians (e.g. "The Wrecking Crew") who were (largely unknown to the public at the time) performing the music for an array of pop singers and classic tracks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkrBmu8eYaM

Univ. of Zurich researchers [rightly] face outrage over their secret AI experiment on Reddit, face possible legal and other actions, will not publish

A totally unethical experiment. -L

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/reddiit-researchers-ai-bots-rcna203597

You're in the British military in the 1980s before the fall of the Berlin Wall. You need to drive from West Germany to West Berlin. But Berlin is entirely within the Soviet sector, meaning you must drive through East Germany to reach West Berlin. Here are your instructions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUJ7GbxWGoM

Temu blocks U.S. shoppers from seeing any products that would be shipped from China

TOTAL MORON: RFK, Jr. blames DARPA for [utterly nonexisting] "chemtrails" -- a favorite of the tinfoil hat crowd

https://gizmodo.com/rfk-jr-goes-full-tinfoil-pledges-to-stop-chemtrails-in-latest-dr-phil-interview-2000596357

Utter idiot: Hegseth boasts about killing "woke" Biden Pentagon program for women -- it was actually Trump's, and Trump's current Homeland Security secretary and Secretary of State!

Trump's program, sponsored in Congress by two of his current cabinet members! Hegseth is a dangerous buffoon. -L

BREAKING: A court in India has ordered the blocking of Proton Mail across the country, due to one firm saying it received obscene email.

I think we should follow the Vatican Pope selection tradition for our presidential elections, just modified for our political parties. Blue smoke or Red smoke.

It was a hell of a lot more fun growing up when there weren't cameras everywhere.

[Hey Donald: Shut the F up.] Trump melts down over plummeting popularity, says pollsters are criminals, demands "election fraud" investigation

Even FOX News has him sinking like a stone. -L

So it looks like there's a really good chance that idiot Trump flapping his vile mouth has successfully reversed sentiments in Canada and will have pushed the liberals back to victory from a presumed massive loss to Trump-loving conservatives according to polls just months ago. Keep your fingers crossed.

Irish mum living legally in US for decades is detained by immigration agents

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/republic-of-ireland/irish-mum-living-legally-in-us-for-decades-is-detained-by-immigration-agents/a1651673930.html

Inbound shipping to U.S. ports has collapsed; mass shortages of goods expected due to Trump tariffs

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/22/busiest-us-ports-see-big-drop-in-chinese-freight-vessel-traffic.html

Trump golf club to host speaker who markets bleach as health treatment

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/27/trump-golf-club-speaker-bleach

#Google is super efficient when it comes to locking innocent users out of their Google accounts, causing them to lose all their email, photos, and other data. They won't even listen to cost effective suggestions for fixing this. They just don't care about those users. But when it comes to stopping OBVIOUS dangerous phishes being sent out from #Gmail, they play helpless and flood the Internet with them. Disgusting.

In stunning statement, Trump says it's a "concession" for Russia to not take over all of Ukraine

Bypassing DOD security protocols, Hegseth had unsecured Internet line installed in his office to use Signal

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2025-04-24/hegseth-had-an-unsecured-internet-line-set-up-in-his-office-to-connect-to-signal-ap-sources-say

RFK, Jr. autism study will spy on Americans' private health data -- and you can't say no

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-autism-study-medical-records/

Pretty sad to see how some generative AI firms seem to promote their products as tools for unproductive, slacker employees to pretend that they're actually earning their pay.