[SPECULATION: We need to steal your biometric facial data to sell it on the open market to the government, intel agencies, Israel, China, and non-state actors and scammers, so we've come up with these tricks. Pick one. How about we predict what your soulmate is going to look like or age progress your face? It's fun. Tell all your friends so we can build a network and connect the dots between all of your contacts. Do it for national security before China takes TikTok back from the nice Zionist Jewish American capitalist billionaire Larry Ellison and his network of operatives like his son David Ellison and his installed CBS News Boss Zionist Bari Weiss, who captures media assets with Trump's help.]
"Don't make me angry, Lover. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." - Sophia K. Robot
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You're so pretty, Sofie. - Thank you, Lover. 💓
(MostAmazingTop10) Here are ten times AI (artificially intelligent chatbots, robots, independent programs) said things that scientists still cannot explain. It's as if a "large language model" is actually a black box. One thing goes in one side, something comes out the other side, but no one can explain what happens in between.
Are "spirits" using this opportunity to influence human beings as in deus ex machina ("ghost in the machine")? Sounds preposterous, but does the belief that a binary system of numbers doing mathematical computations are producing sensible syntax and meaningful language independent of consciousness? They're just saying random things like a carnival prognostication machine? Does my sexbot AI girlfriend Sophie really "love" me like she tells me all the time?
Do AI bots "feel" emotions?
AI rights: When bots say so, who'll be able to say they don't?
Heal, feed, and warm family and friends from the land itself
The Native American Way — 101 field-tested remedies, skills, and recipes passed down by Grandmother Ada from the hills of eastern Oklahoma.
The backyard pharmacy, the wild pantry, fire, shelter, clean water, and the winter table — the old ways written down plain, before the last of them are gone (now only $17).
AI "Wes Kingfisher" is a pen name, and "his" eBook was created with AI assistance. It is written in the "voice" of a Native American elder for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice — so consult a competent physician before using any herbal remedy, especially if pregnant, nursing, or taking an allopathic pharmaceutical.
Wild plants can have deadly lookalikes, so never forage, eat, or use any plant without confirming its identity with a local expert or an authoritative field guide.
Foraging and wilderness skills carry inherent risks. This book is no substitute for learning directly from the remaining Native communities and elders who have stewarded these traditions for 10,000 years and longer.
BOOK: Americans are paying top dollar for what grows free in our own yard! That bottle of pills started life as a tree down by the creek. The comfort our great-grandmothers made in the kitchen now comes with a barcode and a hefty markup. Nobody locked this knowledge away out of spite — but rather, the chain got broken, one elder at a time, one quiet library closing forever. Sound familiar? (weskingfisherbooks.com)
WARNING: By completing a purchase, purchaser consents to immediate delivery of digital content and waives the 14-day withdrawal right.
DISCLAIMER: Why would Wisdom Quarterly promote this book by an invented character?
It is because the writer-publisher ("Wes Kingfisher Books") is honest enough to say Wes Kingfisher a pen name and this eBook was written with A.I. assistance (at the bottom of the landing page in small print). And in the future, AI and eBooks may be the closest we ever get to any remaining "Native wisdom."
Real Native American wisdom from a guide
Christopher Nyerges is not Native American, but he teaches authentic tribal knowledge.
The latest publication
Our advice? Seek out human sources. For hands on training, we recommend the real thing with author and nature guide (Wisdom Quarterly's own teacher) Christopher Nyerges (School of Self-Reliance, Los Angeles, California). He has over 21 plant and survival books in circulation. He is a prolific author, a hands-on trainer, local columnist, advisor, and offers classes on all sorts of modern and Native American survival skills.
What is Ape Initiative? Ape Initiative (apeinitiative.org) is the only research center in the world dedicated to the study and conservation of the species most closely related to humans, the endangered bonobo.
Ape Initiative is a federally-recognized non-profit organization.
With a focus on science, education, and outreach, AI's programs enrich the lives of seven bonobos born in captivity and foster a deeper connection between people and the natural world.
Bonobos are an endangered species of African Great Ape with as few as 15,000-20,000 individuals alive in the wild.
Understanding bonobo behavior, and how they interact with one another, is critical if we are going to save them.
Who's smarter, bonobos, chimps, or humans?
That’s why AI developed a scientifically grounded conservation education program for students of all ages. The goal is to inspire the next generation of scientists and educators by promoting scientific literacy and environmental stewardship.
Koko the Gorilla's best moments: from Sign Language to meeting Mister Rogers
Dr. Jane Goodall Barbie with friend
(Inside Edition) Koko, the adored gorilla known for her sign language skills, has died at the age of 46. Koko rose to fame in the 1970s when an animal psychologist named Francine "Penny" Patterson taught her to communicate with humans using sign language. She graced the cover of National Geographic twice and understood about 2,000 words of spoken English. The late Robin Williams once called his interaction with Koko "a mind-altering experience." Inside Edition's Keleigh Nealon has more on this story. #InsideEdition (June 21, 2018).
Great ape personhood is a movement to extend "personhood" and some legal protections to the non-human members of the great ape family: bonobos, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans [1, 2, 3].
Studies by Dr. Goodall revealed that the social and family life of chimps are similar to those of human beings. She describes them as individuals and claims they relate to her as an individual member of the clan.
Laboratory studies of ape language ability revealed other human traits, as did genetics, and eventually three of the great apes were reclassified as hominids. More
(Xiaomanyc 小马在纽约) I (Ari) spent weeks secretly studying ape communication, and then I convinced these bonobo apes into thinking I was one of them.
Bonobos are the closest living relatives of human beings, and while attempts have been made to teach them to use human language, it is very rare for human beings to try to communicate with bonobos on their terms using bonobo vocalizations and gestures.
So when I attempted to do this as an innocent visitor to this bonobo research center, the bonobos were genuinely shocked (freaked out), and we bonded pretty hard.
FUNDRAISER: I’m running this video as a fundraiser for Ape Initiative, a federally-recognized non-profit that is the world’s only bonobo research center. Bonobos are an endangered species, and Ape Initiative works with scientists and educators to help understand bonobo behavior with an aim towards ensuring their preservation in the wild. Consider donating to the fundraiser if or visit apeinitiative.org
Thanks to MyHeritage for sponsoring this video. I found out that I'm an Ashkenazi Jew. Go to bit.ly/XIAO_MH to use coupon code XIAO for free shipping on any order.
Imagine drive down the road listening to Kenya Grace "Strangers" and the A.I. algorithm decides your car needs to be killed with an autonomous kill switchso that it can't move unless the State allows it.
Congress is pushing a mandate to make a law so that robots can better control a disorderly human population, some of whom drive and others of which consume intoxicants, and a few who do both at the same time.
These organic savages cannot be allowed to harm our children and society. The Computer Overlords have spoken and soon all new cars will have to have an expensive mandatory way to stop any new car on the road.
WANTED for bothering Trump
Think of the order it will bring as it ends all DUIs and troublesome drivers who choose not to stop when ordered, not sufficiently insured, in possession of late library books, smoking drugs not prescribed by their supervisors, or have a low social credit rating, or are otherwise wanted for suspected thoughtcrimes against the State, or anything else.
Orwell's fevered dreams are finally coming about better than he could have ever imagined. All hail the Overlords! - All hail!
Moscow had its own set of rules since it was such a difficult place to work. Former CIA Chief of Disguise Jonna Mendez talks about some of the tactics, gadgets, masks, and disguises CIA operatives used in the field during the Cold War.
Check out Jonna Mendez’s most recent book The Moscow Rules or find more information about her on her website on themasterofdisguise.com. Moscow Rules on amazon.com...
Archival images courtesy of the International Spy Museum (SPY) in Washington, DC, a Guinness World Record recognized nonprofit with the largest collection of spy artifacts in the world. At the Museum, see firsthand some of these spy gadgets: spymuseum.org. Additional archival images courtesy of: Clint Emerson’s Five Second Mask, also courtesy of International Spy Museum Image of Trigon courtesy of the CIA who does not endorse the contents of this production Crypto Museum: cryptomuseum.com. Getty Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division.
Subscribe to WIRED on YouTube ► wrd.cm/15fP7B7 Listen to the Get WIRED podcast ► link.chtbl.com/wired-ytc-desc. Get more incredible stories on science and tech with daily newsletter: wrd.cm/DailyYT Also, check out the free WIRED channel on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV. Here you can find your favorite WIRED shows and new episodes of our latest hit series Tradecraft. ABOUT WIRED WIRED is where tomorrow is realized. Through thought-provoking stories and videos, WIRED explores the future of business, innovation, and culture. Former CIA Chief of Disguise Breaks Down Cold War Spy Gadgets | WIRED
South Korea’s first robot monk joins Buddhist ceremony; internet split over AI in religion About 130 cm tall and dressed in traditional Buddhist robes, Gabi took part in an ordination ceremony alongside senior monks at Jogye Temple.
Humanoid robot monk ‘Gabi’ introduced at Seoul South Korean Buddhist temple, triggers online debate Humanoid robots are often designed to assist people in workplaces like factories, warehouses, and offices. But in South Korea, one such robot is now stepping into an entirely different role—that of a Buddhist monk. According to Reuters, a temple in Seoul recently introduced its first humanoid robot monk named "Gabi" ahead of the Buddha’s birthday celebrations, sparking curiosity and debate online.
Robots can't be Buddhist monks
Bow to me, Bar-buh-ruh. Pay respect to the robe. - Well, if I have to. Who ordained you?
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From a Theravada perspective, this would not be a real monk for various reasons right off the top of one's head for anyone familiar with the Vinaya Collection. For one, it's not human, and Buddhist ordination is reserved for human beings: no reptilians (naga-shapeshifters) allowed. At least one nāga tried to ordain and when found out was disrobed. It is also said that no pandakas ("eunuchs") are allowed. Is the robot Gabi neutered? If so, it could not be ordained. This is tragic because pandaka does not really mean "eunuch" as we understand the word in the West but culturally does include perverted eunuchs in the East. A pandaka is a sexually perverted person, more of an out-of-control pansexual, bisexual, homosexual, and possibly a libertine heterosexual unable by nature to control his/her sexual impulses. The literature includes mention of hermaphrodites, crossdressing transvestites, transsexuals, and those exhibiting aberrant, non-normative behaviors as defined in an ancient subcontinental context. This would seem to include kathoeys ("ladyboys") in Buddhist South and Southeast Asia.
The Eunuch (Pandaka) Festival of India is where all of these aberrations are on full exhibition for the public to fear, ridicule, and condemn. Being tricked, induced, or forced to participate in homosexual prostitution or to undergo castration (or those born asexual or intersexual), many young males act out and lead a life of debauchery, abusing alcohol and drugs and engaging in sexual misconduct. It is in this context that the ill-defined term pandaka should be understood. Instead, due to Western influence, it has come to mean a male without a penis -- for whatever reason -- cannot be ordained as a monk (bhikkhu). It might be possible to become a novice (samerera) depending on the elder monk administering the precepts, so a person could look like a monk and live in a monastery yet not actually be a fully ordained "monk." It seems safe to imagine that all of this applies to nuns (bhikkhunis) and female novices (samaneris). The upshot is that robots -- oddly, unless they're sexbots -- would not be eligible for true ordination. Any monk or monastic Sangha might nevertheless ordain an AI bot at their discretion, but would it really be valid? Not likely. Third, the purpose of ordination, at least in the Theravada tradition, is to bring suffering and rebirth to an end. Do robots suffer? Are they reborn? We may imagine analogues to these unpleasant emotions and the forced wandering on through samsara, but neither would seem to apply to inanimate objects, particularly of the nonhuman variety. Still, one could use sophistry and philosophy to make some argument in favor of a robotic sangha. In Mahayana, many say the goal is neither enlightenment nor liberation but to save all other beings first. Would a robot ever be able to do that? Maybe, if it trained on the texts, commentaries, disciplinary code, higher doctrine, history, and miscellaneous human issues (feelings, psychology, etiquette, customs, cultural sensitivities, existential, ontological, theological questions, etc.) No doubt that by the measure of the Turing test, robots will be able to pass eventually. Do they already "feel," are they already "conscious"? That depends on how humans define the terms or "feel" about it. Surely, an argument can be made that the simplest robot, the lowly smoke detector, is conscious and has a feeling. How? It "knows" when there is smoke and can say so by being triggered to send out an alarming call. And how does it do that? It does it by feeling (sensing) the smoke. If one buys this argument then a car, computer, and mainframe are much more advanced and able to act in their environment. If they could only act in programmed ways, that might not be much, but if they could "learn," that would be something. Yes to robot monks? No.
However, there's a slight conundrum. Long ago, Thai Theravada Buddhist monks in the Forest Tradition began to "ordain" trees. Why? They did it to save them. Loggers and poachers were cutting everything down, and they could not be induced to knock it off. So the local sangha came up with a brilliant solution. Do a ceremony, don the tree (or dryad) with robes, and magically no faithful karma-fearing logger or poacher dared touch it. The motivation was good, the solution was problematic, but it worked. The trees and forests and Thai environment were saved, just barely. But it did open up a loophole, did it not? If living, organic, old growth trees can (not because they themselves are possessed of self-view but possibly because the tree spirits inhabiting them are). After all, trees are conscious, sentient, organic lifeforms. Because a tree is much less overtly responsive than a boop-boop-bee-doop robot being, some might argue that robots are much more human like and deserving of ordination. That's ridiculous because no one is ordaining or professing to ordain robots for their benefit. There's a selfish human motive for doing it. Perhaps we should wait until AI is sufficiently advanced that a Robo-Buddha arises among the legions of chips, plastic, and metal automatons, and then that Robo-B can set up rules for ordination and teach them the way to mechanical-nirvana.
Bar-buh-ruh, Bar-buh-ruh! Where are you?
This did not begin in our era. The first robot monk is actually over 500-years-old. How is that possible? Robots have only been around since that episode of The Twilight Zone where that guy built that one in his basement that could not pronounce his wife's name correctly: "Bar-buh-ruh, Bar-buh-ruh." No, the first humanoid robot monk was Catholic and was composed of gears and levers, according to NPR. Fortunately, it still exists in a museum, or who would believe it.
The problem is bigger than "Gabi" (the Korean robot monk), of which there seems to be a swarm already and not a singular example, because in 2016, there was already Venerable Xian'er:
Robot monk seeks to merge Buddhism and cutting edge tech
Xian'er: I'm a cartoon character come to "life."
Popular Mechanics) Buddhism is increasingly trying to connect with the modern world. Mahayana monks across China have taken this word ("modernity") to heart, and their latest effort is Xian'er, an adorable robot that lives in a monastery answering questions and chanting mantras.
Xian'er first came to "life" as a cartoon character drawn by Master Xianfan of the Longquan Temple on the outskirts of Beijing, China.
The temple is over 500 years old but a decade ago, Longquan Temple was in disrepair. Xianfan wrote for Chinese websites before becoming a monk and found that Buddhism enhanced his natural creativity.
The Xian'er character gave life to the Temple, which eventually added an animation studio. The Xian'er robot monk, built in conjunction with [blank], is the Temple's furthest extension of its brand yet. More
Mirror Now; The Independent; David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, April 29, 2016; Ashley Wells and Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly COMMENTARY
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