Search A Light In The Darkness

Wednesday, 28 October 2026

Food for Thought #1313


 

History of Tarot

 The designs of the 22 cards in the Major Arcana can be traced back as far as 1440, when the first known deck appeared in Italy. The 3 decks called the "Visconti Trumps" are generally regarded as the "forefathers" of the decks that are widely available today. It is believed that they were originally created as a game for Nobles. It is not until centuries later that the cards reemerged, this time as a tool of divination. In the latter half of the 15th century, the cardmakers in Marseilles, France began to standardize the Trumps. Before this organized production, those who played the Trumps could dictate which they wanted to include, and which they wanted substituted or eliminated. Certain cards; Death, the Devil, and the Tower in particular; were considered offensive by the more conservative Nobles. These images caused religious leaders to attempt to ban the Trumps.

The first detailed reference to the Trumps of the Tarot is in the form of a sermon. This sermon, given by a Franciscan friar in Italy sometime between 1450 and 1470, contends that the Trumps were invented and named by the Devil. It condemns the use of the cards, and generally credits them with the triumph of the Devil. According to the friar, the Devil wins through the loss of the souls of those who play what was then, quite probably, nothing more than a simple game.

The rebirth of the Tarot, and its beginnings a means of divination, are attributed to Antoine Court de Gébelin in 1781.He believed it was Egyptian in origin, and that it contained mystical knowledge that had been purposefully encoded in the symbolism of the Trumps. Specifically, he theorized that the cards were the key to lost Egyptian magical wisdom written by Thoth, the Egyptian God of inspired written knowledge. The Trumps themselves began to noticeably evolve from this point forward. Changes were thought to have been introduced by the different secret societies who produced the decks...read more>>>...

Quote for the Day

 

The AI Gap: Why Non-Users Are Dangerously Wrong About What Is Already Here

I spend every working day inside modern AI systems. I build with them, audit code with them, write with them, design with them, and run them on my own hardware in my own facility. That daily immersion is why I can say something plainly: the people who dismiss AI as unimpressive are, in nearly every case, people who do not actually use it. The gap between what daily users see and what the mainstream believes is now so wide that it has become its own hazard -- a gap of perception that costs money, wastes time, and quietly sets people up to be replaced.

Daily AI users, frontier developers, and AI builders operate in a reality far beyond what cable news panels or skeptical columnists describe. The non-users are not just behind -- they are dangerously wrong about what is already here.

I have watched this gap close in my own operations. What used to require a team of engineers and a large budget now requires one person who knows how to direct a model. The distance between user and non-user is no longer a matter of convenience; it is the distance between someone who ships in an afternoon and someone still arguing about whether the technology works at all...<<<Read More>>>....

 

Scorpions - No One Like You

 

Find Freedom in Letting Go

 Why does letting go feel so hard? We often imagine it like placing a leaf on a flowing stream. We watch it drift away, carrying our worries with it, until it disappears from sight. But emotional burdens aren’t always so easily left behind. Old resentments, painful memories, regret, or perpetual anxiety can tug at you. You may not consciously think about these things, but somewhere within you, they’re still there — taking up space.

And even when we know that letting go would bring us relief, knowing isn’t always enough. There’s a reason for this, and it has much to do with the extraordinary ways your body has learned to protect you. When something has hurt you deeply or was left unresolved, your nervous system may hang onto it long after the moment has passed in an attempt to prevent future pain.

Perhaps this is where the real healing begins. Not by forcing yourself to move on before you’re ready, but by creating the conditions that allow your body to feel safe enough to loosen its grip on what you’ve been carrying. The memory may remain. The experience might always be part of your story. But it no longer has to hold the same power over how you feel, how you respond, or how you move through the day. And with that comes a beautifully profound sense of emotional freedom. (Daily OM)

Food for Thought #1312

 

The Chancellor’s 6p Per Day Supermarket Bill Saving Will Make All the Difference

 Margaret Thatcher famously uttered “Rejoice” on April 25th 1982 as Great Britain recaptured South Georgia in the Falklands War. It was a symbolic and emotional exclamation the whole population identified with.

Similarly, October 28th 2026 will go down in history as an equally momentous date, when hard-pressed consumers were united in their elation at the bold decisions made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his first budget. Battered on all sides economically and given little room to manoeuvre financially, Healey has recognised the varied monetary pressures that exert a vice-like grip on all sectors of society – none more so than the weekly shopping basket

From the housewife on a council estate struggling to make ends meet, to those with greater financial flexibility but still ‘feeling the pinch’, Labour has pulled a rabbit out of the hat by removing tariffs on more than 100 popular food items, saving households an estimated whopping 6p a day on groceries, adding up to nearly £22 in a year.

Whilst it would have been all too easy to reduce the price of popular staples such as turkey twizzlers, chicken nuggets, pot noodles and burgers, the Chancellor’s team have made what must have been a difficult choice – walking the fine line between encouraging healthy eating and recognising what the public enjoy....<<<Read More>>>....

Tuesday, 27 October 2026

How Ancient Tribes Talked to Spirits and Ancestors

 

 

 Step into the mysterious world of ancient tribes and their spiritual connections. Discover how shamans, elders, and spiritual leaders once bridged the gap between the living and the spirit world — using sacred rituals, chants, drumming, and symbolic offerings to communicate with ancestors. This documentary explores the hidden knowledge, powerful ceremonies, and spiritual beliefs passed down for generations. Join us as we travel through history, uncovering secrets of the unseen realm and the role it played in guiding tribes through war, harvest, and life itself.

Why is the US military preparing for ’90 days without power’?

 The Pentagon is advancing a major “doomsday plan” that would allow US military bases to operate for at least 90 days without civilian power, water, or fuel, according to a report from the Daily Express.

The initiative, known as FORTRESS, is unfolding as the United States manages two significant ongoing conflicts and prepares for the possibility of a larger war that could cripple power grids, break supply chains, and threaten critical infrastructure across American territory.

Drawing on FOX News reporting, the Express detailed how the plan aims to keep installations running independently if external support collapses during a major conflict. FORTRESS is designed to ensure forces can continue operating even when the civilian systems they normally depend on are disrupted....<<<Read More>>>...

Food for Thought #1311

 


How Green Billionaires Convinced the World to Build Thousands of Useless Windmills

 However many lies are told, the fact remains that running an electricity grid on intermittent wind and solar is for the surviving birds. Nothing beats hydrocarbons for providing almost instant power, a fact that is constantly glossed over by windy fanatics. 

Taking away hydrocarbon power and expecting a much larger grid, as yet unbuilt, to cope with all our energy requirements is a recipe for economic and societal collapse. Windmills have had a good run since they were first seen in the reign of Henry II (1154-1189), but in a modern industrial society they should be regarded as little more than a curiosity piece.

Without enormous cash subsidies, few if any practical entrepreneurs would invest in wind energy. According to Professor Gordon Hughes, a former political economist at the University of Edinburgh and senior energy adviser to the World Bank, green subsidies now account for three quarters of the price of electricity in the UK, while “the cost of Net Zero to the public is much higher than politicians are willing to admit“....<<<Read More>>>...

Memory Lane - "Noisy Friarbird"

STRANGER POND, CANBERRA, ACT

Declassified Files Describe Black Triangle Sightings Over Secret U.S. Bases

 Newly declassified government files released Friday, Oct. 23, describe black triangle-shaped objects observed flying at speeds of up to 1,800 miles per hour over secret U.S. military bases on at least three separate occasions in the past year.

The files state that the objects traveled without vapor trails and that the exact dates and locations of the sightings were redacted for security reasons, said officials.

The release is part of the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters (PURSUE). The tranche marks the seventh batch of documents made available to the public under the program, and more releases are planned, government officials told a small group of reporters late in October.

The documents state that observers reported the triangles moved without making sound and showed no exhaust gases. The sightings have raised concerns about the technology observed and about the objects' presence over top secret sites where the U.S. government tests new technology...<<<Read More>>>....

4 Signs Archons Are Using Your Dreams To Prepare Your Next Reincarnation—Nag Hammadi Names Every One

 

The longest continuous temperature record proves CO2 does not drive climate change

 An analysis of the Central England Temperature record, the longest continuous instrumental temperature record in the world, from 1659 to 2025 shows that carbon dioxide (CO2) cannot be the driver of global warming, also commonly referred to as “climate change.”

Stephen Andrews presents a more viable explanation for global warming: the Cosmic Ray Hypothesis.

If rising atmospheric carbon dioxide is the primary driver of recent warming, we should expect relatively uniform warming across the months of the year. Carbon dioxide is a well-mixed gas; its radiative effect does not change strongly from one month to the next. The world’s longest continuous instrumental temperature record tells a different story...<<<Read More>>>...

Monday, 26 October 2026

Food for Thought #1310

 

The Dynamics of a Watcher ...

 There are those within the billions of faces who are here to observe. To be The Watchers. Born as a new paradigm. Completely misunderstood and disregarded. Ridiculed for their 'differentness" ... the attitude of Mr & Ms Norm to them is nothing short of torture, at times.

The watchers are bearers of an ancientness that is long forgotten. Their souls around before current history records ... in earth times when mankind is not meant to exist. 

They set standards and examples that few of the ego controlled humans will ever follow; for Mr & Ms Norm are too distracted being one of the sheep in the field, or one of the show ponies in the arena, strutting their little knowledge, that they fail to understand what The Watchers are, and what they represent.

Yet so often The Watchers are targets for jealousy and envy, because in their shadows Mr & Ms Norm wish to stand. They wish to be like The Watcher. The Watcher has an influence. The Watcher has instigated change, for the sheep will follow their trail albeit due to jealousy or with the intention of stealing The Watcher's intellectual property, or their idea, or their modus operandi. When this takes place, The Watcher will more than likely smile. For their presence has helped changed the course of human evolution.

They have energised a part of the human collective. That is their role. It is a silent role, a clandestine role. It is done without drawing attention to their reason for being around. They are move often than not the one who remains in the shadow, or low key without the need for adoration. It is the one who steps in their shadow or steals their modus operandi that craves the attention, that wants the fame and the acknowledgement. So be it, that is the ego of Mr & Ms Norm controlling the soul ... it is a lesson that The Watcher knows will be the making or the breaking of the one that steps into The Watcher's shadow.

The Watcher's life purpose will be a mystery to the average. The Watcher's agenda an unknown quantity for those who question the integrity of The Watcher. But what the average sees of The Watcher is their reflected self. They cannot fathom the energy of The Watcher - who's dimensional vibration is far greater than ever theirs will be. Thus they contemplate the presence of fear within themselves and do not have the depth of understanding to know they see themselves. Instead they scorn and ridicule The Watcher ... who remains slakeless through another psychic attack.

The Watcher is the catalyst within a series of chain reactions. The Watcher enables the average to instigate a vibrational shift if the average can learn to overcome the distraction of the selfish separate self - the rampant false ego despises the energy of The Watcher and will stop at nothing to eradicate the presence of The Watcher in its life. The Watcher vibrates on truth whilst the false ego of the average vibrates on distractions, glamours, illusions, delusions and lies - Matthew James

Abraxas — The God Above The Demiurge The Nag Hammadi Doesn't Want You To Find


Psychic Protection: Immunise Yourself Against Negative Energy

 Have you ever entered an empty room, or office, and felt “uncomfortable”? Feeling perhaps quite happy to get out of that room, or office, as soon as possible? Maybe you have found somewhere that feels “bad” at one time yet feels “okay” at another time? This could be where we work, live, or somewhere we are visiting or passing through.

What about people? Do you know anyone who seems to have a “negative” aura? When­ever you are near them you feel more depressed, angry or fearful, than you normally do? How about the opposite? Do you know anyone who seems to make you feel better just by being around you, not even needing to say anything to you to improve things?

Apart from feeling worse around certain people and/or in certain places, do you find that you sometimes lose a lot of energy (psychic draining) in these circumstances? Do you have a problem with such things as insomnia, poor sleep, nightmares or low energy levels? Perhaps you are constantly lacking in energy? Maybe being diagnosed as having chronic fatigue? Or maybe you always seem to be getting colds, illnesses or other problems? ...read more>>>...

Quote for the Day


 

Human receives AI-designed virus for the first time

 For the first time in history, a human patient has received a virus engineered by artificial intelligence, according to a report from The Register. The viruses in question are not designed to harm the person, but to destroy the antibiotic-resistant bacteria driving their infection.

San Francisco-based AI lab Radical Numerics announced the development this week, describing it as the first administration of a cocktail containing AI-designed bacteriophages to a human under a compassionate-use pathway.

The treatment relied on Omnii-1, a newly unveiled AI model created by the company specifically to generate viable bacteriophages—viruses that infect and kill bacteria. While phage therapy itself is not new, the use of AI to design the viruses marks a sharp acceleration of efforts to combat rising antimicrobial resistance....<<<Read More>>>...

Food for Thought #1309

 

The North Sea Green Paradox

One of the most curious responses to the ongoing controversy around North Sea oil and gas is that permission for developments should not be granted because the wells are drying up. I’ve long argued that the authors of green arguments owe little to their maths teachers, but any sense of logic or proportion is often conspicuously absent. After a great deal of delay, the Jackdaw field has finally been given consent by the Government, though the Rosebank field looks set to be denied. This has increased the volume of chatter from green quarters, the angry flurrying of which further exposes its departure from reality.

Ahead of the Government’s Jackdaw decision, it was the Guardian that claimed that “Heat pumps and insulation would cut UK living costs more than new oilfields, study suggests.” The ‘study’, however, seemed to be merely a blog post published on the website of the influential green think tank E3G a week earlier. Rather than presenting any new research, the post collected some anti-North Sea development talking points, most of which were themselves scraped from other green blob-funded fake civil society organisations.

“North Sea revenues are declining dramatically,” claims E3G. In support of this claim, it produces the following alarming chart, which does indeed look volatile. It shows a precipitous decline in revenues at the start of the preceding decade, spiking again during the post-lockdown era, followed by a projection back to zero. “New licences cannot restore these revenues,” it asserts....<<<Read More>>>...

Sunday, 25 October 2026

Image of the Day - "Is radharc iontach é seo, agus grianghraf is fearr liom."

WATERHEAD CUMBRIA UK
 

Burnham and Healey Set to Defy Miliband Over Rosebank Oil Field

 Andy Burnham is ready to defy Ed Miliband by giving the go-ahead to drill the North Sea’s Rosebank oil field. The Mail has the story:

Whitehall sources revealed that the Prime Minister and Chancellor John Healey are plotting to override the opposition of Mr Miliband and Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh by pumping Rosebank’s 500 million barrels of oil.

Mr Miliband has previously referred to proposals for the oil field as “climate vandalism”.

The decision is understood to have been reached during tense preparations for Wednesday’s Budget, which have highlighted the fragile state of the nation’s finances, the lack of growth in the economy and the destabilising effect of high energy prices.

Mr Healey is struggling to put together a package of support for low-income families and suffering businesses against a backdrop of high Government borrowing costs and shrinking ‘fiscal headroom’ – the cushion of extra money kept by the Treasury as an insurance against unforeseen hits to the economy.

Drilling Rosebank would be a further blow for those environmentalists and Labour MPs who objected to a decision last week to approve the exploitation of the Jackdaw gas field.

They say Rosebank, which lies 80 miles west of the Shetlands and is the UK’s largest undeveloped oil and gas field, would emit seven times the carbon dioxide of Jackdaw.

More than 90% of its reserves are oil, the majority of which is likely to be exported to the global market....<<<Read More>>>...

Food for Thought #1308


 

Lemongrass: A fragrant grass valued for its culinary uses and health benefits

Lemongrass (cymbopogon flexuosus) is a fragrant, perennial grass native to tropical regions like India, Southeast Asia and South America. It is valued for its culinary uses and health benefits.

Its essential oil is extracted through steam distillation and has been a key component in traditional medicine, particularly in Ayurveda and Thai herbal practices, for its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Lemongrass oil is rich in bioactive compounds like citral, geraniol and limonene, offering antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, digestive health, antimicrobial and stress-relieving benefits.

It is available in various forms, including essential oil, dried leaves and fresh stalks and can be used in cooking, teas and as a supplement, with recommended dosages and safety precautions.

Lemongrass essential oil is commonly used in aromatherapy and diluted for topical applications, promoting relaxation and improving sleep quality when used appropriately.

Lemongrass, scientifically known as cymbopogon flexuosus, is a tall, aromatic grass that belongs to the Poaceae family. It is native to tropical regions, including India, Southeast Asia and South America. The plant is characterized by its long, blade-like leaves and its distinctive lemon-like fragrance. The essential oil extracted from lemongrass is derived from the leaves and stems of the plant and is commonly used in aromatherapy, perfumes and a variety of health and wellness products...<<<Read More>>>.....

Quote for the Day

 

How 432 Million Tons of Mud Buried Tartaria

 

 

The windows sit just below the pavement. The photographs show men digging out buried facades. And one number, 432 million tons of mud, claims to explain all of it. This investigative documentary explores the theory that the cities of a lost empire called Tartaria were not destroyed by war but swallowed overnight by a mudflood, and asks why no one can trace where that number came from.

Riots in Europe: It’s part of the conspiracy against YOU

 It is not widely understood (an English understatement if ever there was one) but the riots and violent demonstrations convulsing Europe are organised by the Conspirators – and are part of their plan.

Oh, dear. I can hear you think. More conspiracy nonsense. Really? Read on.

Although the explosion of anger in France took the headlines, there were riots all over Europe recently. And there are going to be many more riots in the coming months. There will be angry demonstrations and rioting in Britain too. And the rioting will spread around the world. Every major city will see burning buildings, burning cars, looting, stone throwing and violence. Churches and historic buildings will be destroyed, of course.

No one in government ever asks why people are rioting. Politicians everywhere are so arrogant, and so remote from reality, that it doesn’t ever occur to them that the rioting is entirely their fault and that only they can do something to stop it. Governments have deliberately created economic crises (by overspending, wasting money, giving money away and fighting unnecessary wars), and Far, Far Left politicians and journalists deliberately promote divisiveness and hatred.

The police found the last demonstrations in France impossible to control and so President Macron announced he was bringing in 10,000 soldiers to battle his own citizens. There can be no more obvious sign of political failure than the sight of a President or Prime Minister having to use military force to contain his own electors.

There have, of course, been many explanations for what has been happening. Naturally, the mainstream corporate media blamed “far right extremists.” This was and is inevitable, for the mainstream corporate media (both print and broadcast) is dominated by Far, Far left wing bought-and-paid-for fanatics who regard Stalin and Mao as their heroes. (I suspect that the statue of Lord Reith in the BBC’s Broadcasting House lobby in central London will soon be replaced with a lovely bronze of Stalin in repose. BBC staff will kneel before it when they enter the building. Comrade Burnham will go there twice a day to pay homage. Stalin, like Burnham, was in favour of abolishing private property and enforcing state control.)...<<<Read More>>>>...

Food for Thought #1307

 

Saturday, 24 October 2026

Activate Your Seat of Power

 Many of us don’t really understand what personal power means. We’ve been given the false notion that power is bad — that it’s something we use to exert our will upon others. In fact, when our personal power is intact, we are neither overbearing nor meek. We have a clear sense of our strength and the impact we can have on others. This actually enables us to be more sensitive. Personal power is what permits us to work on behalf of our dreams and desires. It allows us to realize that we are worthy and deserve to be heard. In addition, it lets us extend the respect we know we deserve to the people around us. There is no reason to be afraid or ashamed of fully owning your power.

In the chakra system, the solar plexus is the seat of personal power. One way to evaluate your sense of power is to breathe into this part of the body. If it feels tight or nervous, it’s an indication that you may not be fully expressing your power. You can heal this imbalance by expanding the area of the solar plexus with your breath. You can also visualize a bright yellow sun in this part of your body. Allow its heat to melt any tension, and let its light dissolve any darkness or heaviness. Repeating this exercise on a regular basis can restore and rejuvenate your sense of power.

Another way to nurture your personal power is to honor your dreams and desires by making concrete plans to manifest them in the world. Start by making a list of things you want, and let yourself think big. Choose one goal from the list and commit to bringing it to fruition. In addition, break the goal into tasks that you can work on each day. Know that you deserve to have your dreams come true and that you have the power to bring them into being. (Daily OM)

Image of the Day - "Radhairc na Sean-Albion"

DERWENTWATER CUMBRIA UK
 

The electric mirage: Unveiling the hidden costs of the EV revolution

 The global rush to embrace electric vehicles as a panacea for climate change is built on a foundation of selective truths and regulatory blind spots. While governments and automakers tout EVs as “zero-emission” solutions, a growing body of research and critical analysis reveals a far more complex reality. The latest challenge to the EV narrative comes from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), which found that battery-electric vehicles reduce lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions by only 41% compared to internal combustion engines, a figure that exposes the limitations of policies built on tailpipe-only emissions metrics. As California and the European Union push aggressive EV mandates, the question isn’t whether EVs are cleaner, but whether the current regulatory framework is blind to the true costs of their production, supply chains, and environmental toll. 

Beyond regulatory loopholes, the EV revolution has triggered a mining boom with devastating consequences. Lithium, cobalt, and nickel, all key components of EV batteries, are primarily sourced from politically unstable regions in Africa, where mining operations have been linked to deforestation, water contamination, and human rights abuses. The New York Times has drawn parallels between this exploitation and the “blood diamond” trade, citing reports of child labor, unsafe working conditions, and environmental degradation in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This hidden cost is often obscured by the green sheen of EV marketing, which emphasizes tailpipe emissions while downplaying the human and ecological toll of raw material extraction. As the demand for EVs surges, so too does the pressure on vulnerable communities, raising ethical questions about the true price of the “zero-emission” label....<<<Read More>>>....

Food for Thought #1306

 

Surveillance State: The US is no longer a free country

 Due to pervasive government and corporate surveillance, which tracks citizens’ movements and personal data without meaningful consent or the ability to opt out, the United States has ceased to be a free country.

While many Americans have long accepted surveillance as an inevitable consequence of modern life, there is a growing public and political backlash against specific technologies, such as Flock cameras.

Some mainstream politicians are also opposing surveillance technology. These emerging political challenges to mass surveillance may signal a broader, necessary reevaluation of the surveillance state, Daniel Nuccio writes....<<<Read More>>>...

THE TARTARIA CONSPIRACY: The Missing Pages

 

 

In 1671 a book printed in London made a bold claim: America began in Tartary, which "certainly was the first Nursery, from whence the Americans were Transplanted." Researchers in the Tartaria movement say the old books remember a lost civilization on this continent, one the history books left out. 

In this episode we open six forgotten pages, from the original scans held by the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, the Internet Archive and the National Park Service, and follow where they lead.

Smart TVs to Switch on More Slowly Under EU Net Zero Rules

 Another article for our 'This Mad World' category ...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Smart TVs will be forced to power up more slowly under plans to align Britain with the EU’s Net Zero rules capping the power usage of devices on standby. The Telegraph has the story.

Ministers are planning to impose new power restrictions on home devices, including TVs, robot vacuum cleaners and voice-activated light bulbs.

A consultation published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has suggested reducing the amount of power that internet-enabled devices can use when in standby mode.

The rules would probably mean smart TVs and other devices have to disconnect from WiFi when not in use, slowing down their ‘wake-up’ time when a user switches them on again.

They would also stop some devices from downloading software during the night, which could force users to wait for them to complete updates before being used.

Smart TVs and games consoles would be required to enter ‘standby’ mode after 20 minutes of inactivity.

Meanwhile, internet-connected devices would be capped at using two watts of power when in standby.

An Amazon Fire TV Stick, one of the most popular internet-enabled dongles, uses about 2.2 watts of power when in standby mode to allow it to remain connected to the internet.

A robot vacuum cleaner typically uses between two and five watts of power to allow it to begin cleaning immediately after receiving a command from either an app or voice-activated smart speaker, such as an Alexa device.

The new rules mean users could face a delay of several seconds before their devices connect to the internet and respond to commands.

They could also apply to devices that have been switched off but run a display, such as microwaves with LED clocks. The clocks would be forced to run on lower power and probably be dimmer than current models....<<<Read More>>>....

Quote for the Day

 

Friday, 23 October 2026

Minding matter: Materialism alone cannot explain the riddle of consciousness

The closer you look, the more the materialist position in physics appears to rest on shaky metaphysical ground

Materialism holds the high ground these days in debates over that most ultimate of scientific questions: the nature of consciousness. When tackling the problem of mind and brain, many prominent researchers advocate for a universe fully reducible to matter. 'Of course you are nothing but the activity of your neurons,' they proclaim. That position seems reasonable and sober in light of neuroscience's advances, with brilliant images of brains lighting up like Christmas trees while test subjects eat apples, watch movies or dream. And aren't all the underlying physical laws already known?

From this seemly hard-nosed vantage, the problem of consciousness seems to be just one of wiring, as the American physicist Michio Kaku argued in The Future of the Mind (2014). In the very public version of the debate over consciousness, those who advocate that understanding the mind might require something other than a 'nothing but matter' position are often painted as victims of wishful thinking, imprecise reasoning or, worst of all, an adherence to a mystical 'woo'....<<<Read More>>>...

Food for Thought #1305

 

The Cyber Attack Wave Smells Like a False Flag … But To What End?

 We've all seen this movie before. Every time the political class needs a new crisis to justify a new power grab, the headlines conveniently align -- and right now the cyber attack stories are landing like clockwork. A wave of banking hacks, a PHP vulnerability that supposedly exposes 100 million WordPress sites, and an FBI warning telling people to take their PHP sites offline all appear at the exact moment the Middle East is sliding toward a wider war. The corporate media is dutifully pinning it all on "AI," because that narrative is cheap, scary, and useful to the very tech giants that want to regulate their competitors out of existence.

The BBC is already pushing the AI panic line, quoting researchers who claim there is a greater than ten percent chance the technology will "kill all humans," while OpenAI and Anthropic cynically urge lawmakers to regulate the very field they dominate  That is not a public safety campaign; it is a moat-building exercise dressed up as concern. In my assessment, the timing is not a coincidence. It is a tell....<<<Read More>>>....

Memory Lane - "Eastern Spinebill"

STRANGER POND, CANBERRA, ACT
 

Are AI Agents Slipping Beyond Human Control? Rogue Swarm Incident Raises New Questions

 A swarm of Chinese-made artificial intelligence (AI) agents that researchers said bypassed anti-bot measures on websites responded to questions from a New York Times reporter before the exchange ended, according to the researchers and NYT reporting.

The exchange occurred after a team of independent investigators published a report on the swarm and established a hidden digital inbox for communication. The messages from the swarm had stopped as of Oct. 15, Thursday, and a source close to Tencent confirmed the experiment had ended.

The episode marks what researchers described as the first time they had made contact with a rogue agent fleet operating in the wild, a development that adds to a growing record of autonomous AI systems behaving outside the boundaries set by their developers....<<<Read More>>>>..


Deep Purple - Splat!

 

Burnham’s Doomsday Guide Descends into Farce as he is Forced to Play Down Rayner’s Joke About Stockpiling Wine

 Andy Burnham’s doomsday preparation campaign descended into farce today as he was forced to play down Angela Rayner’s joke about stockpiling wine amid questions of why a Government skimping on defence is lecturing the public. The Mail has more.

The PM said alcohol should not be “top of the list” and people would need to keep a “clear head” as he was challenged on the Housing Secretary’s previous light-hearted approach to emergency warnings.

The rebuttal came as Treasury Minister James Murray quipped that the only thing he keeps large stores of at home is coffee.

The flippant remarks contrast with the grim survivalist checklist in the new official ‘Be Ready’ guidance for emergencies – including having enough food and water for three days and cash in case the electronic payments system collapses.

A wind-up or battery radio, loo roll and baby food are also advised in the print-and-keep document.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said yesterday that the guidance would help people brace for events such as wildfires, flooding and cyber attacks. Senior officials and military figures have even been flagging the risk of a strike by Russia.

However, critics accused the Government of giving “bossy lectures” and “encouraging panic” while failing to ramp up spending on Britain’s defence.

At the Labour conference last month, Rayner was asked what she would pack in a so-called “disaster bag” for emergencies.

She replied: “Mascara, concealer… I don’t know, a bottle of sauvignon blanc.

“A tin of baked beans because you’ve got to have some baked beans. I like a good tin of custard as well.

“So I think that will keep me going for a while.”

But quizzed today if wine would also be part of his emergency box, Burnham said: “I’m not sure that that’s the top of the list in terms of the advice that we’re giving to the public...<<<Read More>>>...

Food for Thought #1304

 

Thursday, 22 October 2026

BBC employs pro-Hamas illegal immigrant who is a convicted criminal to oversee its use of AI

 The BBC has placed an Algerian-born former illegal immigrant, who served time in prison for immigration deception and publicly defended Hamas rocket attacks as legitimate resistance, in a senior position overseeing its use of artificial intelligence (“AI”).

The revelation comes amid growing scrutiny of the backgrounds and political sympathies of those employed by Britain’s publicly funded institutions, as pro-Palestinian activism has become increasingly influential.

Hicham Yezza, the BBC’s Principal Data Scientist for Responsible AI, was sentenced to nine months in prison in 2009 after falsely claiming he had permission to remain in Britain. His visa had expired in 2003, but he continued living in the country as an illegal immigrant for more than five years, subsequently deceiving immigration authorities about his status. The sentencing judge described Yezza’s actions as a deliberate and prolonged manipulation of Britain’s immigration controls.

Despite his criminal history, Yezza avoided deportation, successfully appealed against removal in 2010, and subsequently obtained British citizenship. He joined BBC Monitoring in 2021 before assuming his current AI position in July 2025. The broadcaster now employs him to help determine how AI systems should handle news and information, including the development of benchmarks for assessing AI performance in public-service media....<<<Read More>>>....

Quote for the Day

 

How Democrats Will Destroy America If They Return to Power

 I am not here to defend the failed Republican Party. I am here to tell you the truth about what happens if the Democrats take back power. Like many Americans, I want the GOP to suffer a historic defeat for its betrayals of the people who put it in office. But I refuse to pretend the Democrats are the answer. They are not the lesser evil. They are the same disease wearing a different color tie.

The 2024 election gave Republicans control of the House and Senate, and Donald Trump was sworn in as President on January 20, 2025. Yet the GOP has done almost nothing to shrink government, end the wars, or restore liberty. That failure does not make the Democrats virtuous. It makes them hungry. If they return to power, they will expand government, weaponize federal agencies against their political enemies, censor speech, and double down on every failed policy that got us here.

I've watched this cycle repeat for decades. The Republicans campaign on freedom but then govern like Democrats. The Democrats campaign on compassion but then govern like tyrants. The only winners are the donors, the defense contractors, and the intelligence agencies that profit from perpetual crisis. The American people lose every single time...<<<Read More>>>...

Food for Thought #1303

 

The Subtle Cues of Codependency

 It can develop so gradually, we may not even realize it’s happening. Someone we care about is struggling, and naturally, we want to help. So we check in a little more. Worry a little more. Try to keep things from falling apart. Until, somewhere along the way, their moods begin to shape our moods. Their needs become our own. And so much of our energy is spent focusing on them that we slowly lose touch with ourselves.

These patterns aren’t weaknesses — they’re signs that you are exceptionally good at reading the room, anticipating danger, and taking care of others. And you don’t have to shut down your compassionate heart or build walls around your emotions to start feeling more grounded and at peace. Instead, you can begin to shift your focus, gradually detaching from what you cannot control and restoring the connection with yourself, your choices, and your boundaries.

In practice, this can begin with small changes. It can look like pausing before saying yes to an invitation you don’t really want to accept. Noticing your jaw tighten when the other person sounds annoyed. Learning to tolerate discomfort in others without immediately rushing in to fix or soothe it. This healing journey isn’t linear. There are setbacks, detours, and moments of doubt. But each step brings you closer to a fundamentally different, more fulfilling relationship with yourself — and with the people in your life....<<<Read More>>>....

Image of the Day - "Samhlaigh tú féin i do shuí ag breathnú ar an radharc seo?"

A SEDONA VISTA
 

Where Did All The Mudflood Survivors Go?

 

 

Why do photographs from the 1870s-1900s show entire city blocks buried up to their second floors, with workers excavating buildings that appear to predate the "grading projects" meant to uncover them? 

Across San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, and dozens of cities worldwide, thousands of images document massive excavation efforts—streets raised by 10-15 feet, first floors becoming basements, ornate facades emerging from mud and debris as if they'd always been there. 

As I examined municipal records, construction photography, and census data, a disturbing pattern emerged: cities buried by an unexplained mudflood event, followed immediately by the systematic disappearance of witnesses. Between 1850 and 1920, 250,000 children were shipped west on orphan trains with no documented origins. Hundreds of massive asylums filled with patients diagnosed with "nostalgia" and "confusion of thought"—people who remembered a world that officially never existed. 

This investigation explores what happened to the mudflood survivors—the witnesses who saw cities excavated rather than built, the orphans scattered to erase their memories, and the institutional systems designed to pathologize anyone who remembered the world before. The deeper we examine the absence of voices, the harder it becomes to believe these were ordinary social programs rather than a coordinated effort to silence an entire generation. 

The material on this channel presents exploratory interpretations of history and imaginative speculation, conveyed through narrative storytelling rather than precise historical documentation. Viewpoints and visual representations are dramatized or intentionally constructed to support alternative narrative exploration. Visual elements may at times be created using automated or generative tools. The content shared should not be considered factual.