Notes and Essays -- John Brown

https://slate.com/business/2023/03/paris-car-ban-bikes-cycling-history-france.html

OPINION DECLARATIONS A Six-Month AI Pause? No, Longer Is Needed It’s crucial that we understand the dangers of this technology before it advances any further. By  Peggy Noonan Following March 30, 2023 6:50 pm ET, The Wall Street Journal SAVE SHARE TEXT 85 ILLUSTRATION:  DAVID KLEIN Listen to article Length (7 minutes) Queue Artificial intelligence is unreservedly advanced by the stupid (there’s nothing to fear, you’re being paranoid), the preening (buddy, you don’t know your GPT-3.4 from your fine-tuned LLM), and the greedy (there is huge wealth at stake in the world-changing technology, and so huge power). Everyone else has reservations and should. It is being developed with sudden and unanticipated speed; Silicon Valley companies are in a furious race. The whole thing is almost entirely unregulated because no one knows how to regulate it or even precisely what should be regulated. Its complexity defeats control. Its own creators don’t understand, at a certain point...

By  German Lopez Good morning. Ukraine is again defying the odds in the battle for Bakhmut, The New York Times (via email), March 30 Ukrainian forces in Bakhmut, Ukraine. Tyler Hicks/The New York Times A costly clash Early this month, the head of NATO warned that the fierce battle over the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut could end with a Russian victory within days. Three weeks later, his prediction has yet to come true. Ukraine and Russia are still fighting for control of the city. The stalemate has come at great cost for both sides, particularly Russia. Ukrainian officials  have estimated  that for every one of their soldiers lost, Russia has lost seven. Russia tried to replenish its ranks by letting prisoners fight, but it has  nearly exhausted  the supply of those recruits as well. The battle has also taken a heavy toll on munitions, vehicles and other military equipment — and has also taken a lot of time. The first time this newsletter mentioned Bakhmut was in Ju...

  Banksy’s Art Amid Ukraine’s Rubble The British graffiti artist was embraced by Ukrainians after his irreverent murals appeared in several of the war-torn nation’s cities and towns in November; now, local governments are working to protect the newly cherished art. By  Konstantin Akinsha, The Wall Street Journal Updated March 18, 2023 7:00 am ET   A Banksy mural in Borodyanka PHOTO:  KYODONEWS/ZUMA PRESS Listen to article Length (5 minutes) Queue Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Ukrposhta, the Ukrainian Postal Service, has demonstrated, in the stamps it issues, an impressive understanding of the sentiments of Ukrainians. Instead of the typical commemorative fare, it has produced a visual chronicle of the essential episodes of the war. One, the image of a brave Ukrainian soldier giving the finger to a Russian battleship during the defense of Snake Island, became an iconic image reproduced worldwide. Others depicted the bombing of the Crimean Bridge, the occu...