Humanity's days are numbered
[Posted Monday, September 14, 2026 9/14/26 3:00 pm]
I've been warning about this for some time now.
Last week, Anthropic AI researcher Jacob Coxon resigned, writing on X that OpenAI and Anthropic were "gambling with our lives," warning that "the people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade." A lead Anthropic researcher, Evan Hubinger, agreed in a post on X that Coxon was right, saying, "we really do earnestly believe AI could kill all humans!"
They believe this could happen when AI gets too smart and takes control of things like power centers and nuclear weapons. This is basically the plot of the 1970 sci-fi film Colossus: The Forbin Project.
In the meantime, Beijing disparaged the warnings from U.S. tech leaders as "fearmongering" from a "Cold War playbook" aimed at hobbling China. President Trump agrees, rejecting the idea of placing guardrails on artificial intelligence.
In response to the CEO of Anthropic saying that AI companies should "slow the pace" of AI development, Trump called the reports a hoax and a conspiracy going on against AI and Data Centers, and the only one that is happy about it is China. He added, "Whoever wins AI, wins."
We can only hope that cooler minds prevail and humanity is saved from extinction by the evil Skynet.
Star Trek Day
[Posted Tuesday, September 8, 2026 9/8/26 5:55 am]
Today is Star Trek Day!
On Thursday, September 8, 1966, at 8:30 PM (ET) the very first episode of Star Trek (The Original Series) aired on NBC television in the United States.
Besides the original 79 episodes, over the years there's been 14 Star Trek movies, including 6 with the original cast, and 12 distinct spin-off television series.
Fans of the show continue to gather at national and regional conventions, the biggest taking place every year in Las Vegas. I have fond memories of attending Star Trek conventions over the years, including one in the mid 80s in Philadelphia where I met Nichelle Nichols (Uhura) and Walter Koenig (Chekov).
Paramount is celebrating Star Trek Day with the release of a new box set of the original show on DVD and BluRay, including over nine hours of special features.
Star Trek envisioned an optimistic future where humans have united to peacefully explore the galaxy alongside aliens from different planets. After six decades, Star Trek's passionate global fans continue to influence modern popular culture and real-world innovation in technology, like cellphones and computer tablets.
Happy 60th birthday, Star Trek!
Pickle Physics
[Posted Wednesday, September 2, 2026 9/2/26 8:23 am]
Hey! Someone has broken into my place and eaten almost all of my pickles!
Well... maybe not. But I think I have just identified a very interesting aspect of the physics of a jar of pickles.
Have you ever noticed this? You have a jar of pickles in the fridge that you take approximately one from per day for a quick snack.
For the longest time, the jar doesn't seem to get that much more empty. Then, all of a sudden, one day you notice that the jar looks almost completely empty. Where did all the pickles go?
I think it may have to do with the the geometry of the pickle spears standing upright in the jar, and then being able to become arranged haphazardly when enough room in the jar opens up. But I just don't know for sure.
For now, I guess it will have to remain a mystery. I just wish I knew who was stealing my pickles...
Thinking of Brian
[Posted Thursday, August 27, 2026 8/27/26 8:30 am]
Today we remember Brian Epstein, who passed away 59 years ago on this day, August 27, 1967.
Would the Beatles have happened without Brian? He believed in them when no one else did. Dick Rowe of Decca records told Brian that guitar groups were on their way out. Brian told Dick Rowe that the Beatles were going to be bigger than Elvis.
Brian tamed them without changing their sound or who they were. He traded in their leather jackets for suits and ties, and taught them to bow politely to the audience at the end of every song. Imagine that day, telling John Lennon he'd have to clean up his act and bow to the audience, instead of cursing at them. No one could get John Lennon to do anything he didn't want to.
Except Brian.
It's a shame an accident took Brian from us at such a young age. He was only 32, but he lives on in the hearts of every Beatles fan forever.
To learn more about Brian Epstein, visit www.brianepstein.com.
Worst product packaging ever
[Posted Saturday, August 22, 2026 8/22/26 9:35 am]
By the way, this product itself is pretty useless, why can't you just use a normal pair of scissors? (Which you would probably have to do anyway to open that stupid package...)
But it must be a good product, because it's "As seen on TV".
Why does a Beatle cross the road?
[Posted Monday, August 17, 2026 8/17/26 7:30 am]
Last week in London, the Beatles were spotted crossing Abbey Road (again).
They were filming a recreation of the famous Abbey Road album cover for the new series of Beatles biopics directed by Sam Mendes.
The scene reportedly involved "approximately 80 extras and some vintage vehicles."
Originally, the Westminster Council would not allow filming to take place at the famous crossing, but it was later confirmed that they had reversed their decision.
The Beatles - A Four-Film Cinematic Event, will tell the band's story from each member's point of view.
The films, starring Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, are scheduled to be released simultaneously in theaters in April, 2028.
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Adam Forrest: 
