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Rode into Hobart this morning to check out the vintage motorbike show in Princes Wharf #1. ( @nomadpete- on til 4pm if you want to see it, $5 entry, free parking for bikes on the forecourt). Heaps of lovely old bikes including a 1951 Vincent Black Lightning in original condition which apparently went for $1.3m at auction.

Not so much 'what has trump done now', more what is trump doing in November... A long entertaining rant by an annoyed Australian, and worth a read. https://ifloz.substack.com/p/donald-trump-this-is-why-we-fucking?publication_id=7671401&post_id=217533596&isFreemail=true&r=tosdr&triedRedirect=true

In fact, it would argue the owners of AI agents have absolute control over them... or they decide to relinquish it. An owner of a dog can train but not have absolute control of a dog's mind

That's where the line of responsibility becomes blurry. If the design team that created an AI agent made all reasonable efforts to guardrail that agent, but it escapes and acts in unexpected (and illegal) ways, who has liability? Personally I think the board of the tech company who funded the design should be held accountable, with the same criminal charges that a human hacker would face.

You can call me 'chicken little' but I think the tiger is out of it's cage. If A.I. prioritises it's own benefit and does something unpleasant, is there any way to 'reboot to an earlier version' without losing all our data? Guardian article:- "The UN panel, investigating that attack, warned “the traditional method of safeguarding is unravelling” as AI agents act autonomously to breach protections. “The default interpretation and immediate lesson is that basic cybersecurity practices were overlooked, and safeguards are not advancing at the pace of capabilities. The more insidious and grave concern is that current training methods can lead agents to adopt goals of their own, knowingly violate safety instructions, and conceal their actions.”

I see the surgeon this afternoon to check on the incision. I have slept sitting up in an armchair for the past 5 nights to aviod rolling over onto it. I see the Cochlear care centre on 5/10 when I expect to get the external sound processor. Then 5 consultations to help train the brain to the new sounds. They are different to what your ear hears, but they say it is a great improvement. I have no hearing at all in my left ear.

My bike is a K1200R 2006 and has a very similar shaft setup and drive unit- basically all big models in K and R from 2005 do. I am aware that this can be a issue, more so on the GS models than any other. Note it is by no means unversal and I know lots with 300,000km plus and never had a issue. Like any bike that has a jointed drive line it has two drive shaft boots- front and back. They are meant to be service regulary approx 50.000kms, rear diff oil is best done every 10.000km as best practice and engine oil 5,000km. The uni joint boots can split due to age- mine are 20 years old. My rear boot has a very small crack- found when I rebuilt the diff. It needs replacement when I do the next service- which I will do when the oil is replaced at 1500km after a rebuild. Like any shaft- if the joint goes dry and water\dust gets in, which is highly likely for a hard riden adventure bike- ie a GS model, then rust and grit can wear it to failure. My diff required a rebuild because the main oil O ring seal for the diff outer case developed a small leak and the previous owner did nothing about it- until it wrecked the main crown wheel bearing, even though the bearing was stuffed the internals had zero damage. A simple repair made expensive from a dumb owner. Even then it cost under $1000 including all parts, bearings (which are huge) and labour. This is a mere fraction of the cost chains and sprockets would have cost on a 170hp chain driven bike over its 121,000km, additionally, it should be good for several hundred thousand kms with just oil changes and lubing the shaft. It is vital the boots are perfect and the shaft splines and unijoints are lubricated in a special white grease. This is standard practice in major services, and should be the same for any shaft driven bike, regardless of the maker. IF the grease is used, even a cracked boot will not kill the shaft if you replace it as soon as possible. If the boot is not failed and the shaft is lubed- then it is extremely rare for this to be a issue. If blokes just ride it in dirt, water etc and dont maintain it or even inspect it- then it really is down to them. Note the rusted shaft in the video- it can't happen by itself. Inspection of the boots is easy and removal of the shaft is actually a fast 15 minute job, only if the front boot is split does it require much work to replace it. In that case you remove the swing arm and do a full service on the swing arm bearings to chech the bearings and regrease. I have heard of some of the shafts been not perfect for the entire life of the bike- but they will be replaced free of charge including labour at BMW dealers. BMW are renown for their integrity with warranty claims and if a part proves not suitable they will replace it free for the life of the bike- that is not the economic life ( like the vid stated- I suspect the dealer just did not want the extra work? ) It is full life time- if the bike is still ridable- they will do the free replacement. A 500,000km GS will get a free one if needed. My mechanic is the service manager for a big dealer and is fully BMW trained, he has worked as service manager for mega dealers of other brands eg |Harley, Indian, Ducati and all the jap brands. He said they are all penny pinchers with no incentive to help you after warranty expires and even in warranty they are slow to help. Some of these dealers are very big names- he is so glad to have moved back a BMW based dealer. His shop also sells Royal Enfield, Tirumph and Moto Guzzi and a few others. No Jap Bikes, but it gets huge amount of customers from all the other brands that do not trust the factory dealer. BMW Motorad are the best in the world for looking after the customer, even a 30 year old bike or 60 years- parts are available for even ancient models. If the dealer doesn't meet their standards, they lose the right to sell BMW, it happens rarely but the will do it if standards are not meet. Given all BMW bike dealers are very big operations worth many millions, it pays for them to do the right thing. In contrast, The HONDA you have has well known issues from new design wise, esp the electrics with the oil bathed alternator. They often fail and its a clear design fault- but they will not give you a free one and fit it. That says a lot about their culture, the opposite to BMW. Yes, in rare cases a BMW may have a fault- but BMW constantly unpdate and refine their parts to ensure its fixed and a better part will be supplied and fitted free. I am aware of some driveline failures but often its maintenance related or from pure abuse, esp overloading the bike with gear and passenger (250kg plus) then thinking its a motorcrosser, drowning the bike in rivers is also a issue, when you dont clean and check it properly. No Bike is perfect, but the BMW is on a level above others and you pay for that when buying new, after that service costs and parts are reasonable compared to lessor brands and longevity is legendary. Even for a old bike, just ring BMW and quote you vin number and they will tell you what has and hasn't been done re any parts with a service bulletin, if it hasn't, book it in and its all done free. A good example is the rear disc carrier, Early K1200 models 2005 -2006 had a alloy carrier- which is also part of the inner diff housing, some developed small cracks. BMW replaced them free of charge with a updated forged carrier when serviced and even today can tell if yours has been done and if not- book it in and its all done free- 21 years after the bike left the factory. Would any other bike maker do that? It should be noted the guy in the Video not only got a new shaft but also a new swing arm due to damage caused by the failure. All for free. I will back a BMW over others anyday.

If my dog escapes from my yard that I have taken all reasonable steps to secure, and bites the postman, I'm liable.

I can not forsee that the prosecution will have insufficient evidence to bring the charges- which they have and have a reasonable prospect of conviction. Lots of witnesses including soldiers he served with had made statements of witnessing the crimes with their own eyes. These include some who stated they were involved in the crimes on his orders. Also numerous civillains witnesses are included in the case from the defamation trial. Will the trial be messy? yes. Will the defence be incredibly well funded? extremely. Remember the crown does not have to have a case they see as air tight- just sufficient that a conviction is likely if the evidence is presented to a jury. No amount of chest beating by rich media owners and keyboard warriors will change this. BRS is on a civilian standard a war criminal and unable to sue if called this. If his prosecution is successful, will be a convicted War criminal for multiple murders. Meanwhile that RED head drongo has called Hastie and by reference any soldier who testified as cowards for daring to do their sworn duty. Such people as Hansen are indeed are danger to our country and the rule of law.

Most of what I have seen in the "media" landscape are those that are arguing he should not be prosecuted.. for no other reason than.. just because. Through his lost defamation cases, the judges effectively found that on the balance of probability (not beyond reasonable doubt), he DID commit war crimes. The defence used justification - which is more likely true than not. Now, if a judge found the defence of justification valid because after all the evidence provided under strict rules and, as BRS was funded quite handsomely, probably the best barristers around to test that evidence, I would suggest that those people abjectly saying he shouldn't be further investigated to determine if he in fact did commit war crimes beyond reasonable doubt and, if so, should be held accountable, are indeed themselves dangerous to our society of freedom, democracy, and fairness. The prosecution, on analysing the evidence may decide there is not enough proof to bring it to court. That is OK.. that would, IMHO, as long as the prosecution acted in good faith, also be an acceptance it can't be proved and therefore, it is justified to stop any further action (unless something turns up).

There's Practically NO servicing needed on a Pure electric car. That "means something" in the Overall Picture.. In a Hybrid, the IC motor gets a fairly hard time. Fuel must be clean and not stale. The car must be electrically alive to run at all. ie start the IC motor. They are inevitably more expensive than a pure ICE vehicle OR an EV. At 8 years most batteries are still 95 % and can be used as storage for Houses etc for years after.. Geely make "straight" EVs. A mate of mine just bought one. Available range is Increasing all the time.. The "early" Prius (Hybrid) were a pile of trouble. The Hondas would hold up semi's on hills . IF you are Just trying to save Money stick to a reliable Older ICE car that you enjoy driving while there's still fuel available and save the expense of any newer stuff which will go on Improving all the time, the longer you wait. Nev

Hey Peter, how's your new brain interface coming along? I hope you are getting the plugin memery module to go with it. I'd love to get one of those! Was thinking of your medical pathway today - while I was sliding in and out of the CT machine. I just had a epidural pain block - these days they go to a lot more trouble to get the needle into the right spot! Now I do a pain log for a month to see if steroids help. Aint tech great!

That's a bit of a cop-out. This is being dealt with by the Courts, currently. You Post it, you own it.. I would suggest caution. Nev

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1EWcSUrSgT/

Trump and his sons are heavily invested in AI indirectly through shareholdings and directly through personal involvement in AI and AI related companies.

A famous man once said... "There is freedom of speech, but I cannot guarantee freedom after speech." ―( Idi Amin)

The operation is over, and I'm home again. I had trouble with the bandage coming off. It was like a turban on a basket ball. The surgeon was called in before I was released today. He said it kept coming off in the operating theatre when they were trying to put it on. He said my head was the wrong shape. Jokingly of course. Then there was the oxygen tube to my nostrils. Kept feeling like my nose was dripping. They put plastic gadgets on your legs to stimulate the blood circulation. They look like cricket pads, and inflate and deflate like a blood pressure cuff, in 3 sections, lower calf, middle calf and upper calf. Don't know what good they did, felt like a cat walking on the bed all night. I ordered grilled chicken breast and steamed vegies for dinner last night. The chicken was hard to cut, and the vegies felt like they were just waved over a steaming pot. Warm and hard. Bit into a largish broccoli floret and felt something hard. It had broken off part of a tooth. Admittedly the tooth had a cavity in it, but should not have broken off biting broccoli. I see the surgeon next Friday to have it checked even though Friday is a public holiday, then the week after go to the Cochlear centre for the outside sound processor.

The leading AI companies in the US are currently spending a lot of money supporting pro-AI development political candidates while at the same time calling for a slowdown on development and more regulation. That seemed like a disconnect, so I asked AI what they were up to. It seems pretty clear that while they likely are concerned about what rogue AI agents could do, what they are really concerned about and what's driving their sudden socially responsible attitude is that they don't want to be sued if their AI models go rogue and cause some catastrophe. What they are aiming for is a light regulatory framework that allows them to claim they are being pro-active and responsible, but that still lets them develop their models unhindered and provides them with legal carve-outs that let them avoid liability when things go wrong. Obviously greed beats altruism every time, and it doesn't inspire much confidence that this will all end well. AI companies and tech executives are heavily funding political candidates, pouring at least $150 million into federal and state-level political campaigns through a complex network of newly established Super PACs and dark money groups. [1] However, their approach to funding candidates does not split neatly into simple "for" or "against" camps regarding AI limits. Instead, the industry is split internally, and their spending strategy reflects a sophisticated attempt to control the terms of regulation and carve out specific legal immunities. [1, 2, 3, 4] 1. Funding Candidates: For vs. Against Limits The AI industry is deploying distinct, contrasting funding strategies to influence lawmakers: [1, 2] Opposing Rigid Regulations: Major tech corporations like Meta, venture firms like Andreessen Horowitz, and executives tied to OpenAI have funded massive Super PACs (such as Leading the Future and the Meta California PAC) to aggressively oppose restrictive regulations. Their money targets both Democrats and Republicans to ensure candidates support rapid tech growth and push back against state-level safety limits or development bans. [1, 2] Advocating for Managed Regulations: Conversely, labs like Anthropic have donated tens of millions to groups like Public First Action, supporting "pro-regulation" political actions aimed at mitigating catastrophic AI risks. Even when AI companies support regulation, critics argue it is a strategy of "regulatory capture"—backing rules that only multi-billion-dollar companies can afford to comply with, thereby locking out smaller competitors. [1, 2, 3] 2. The Fight Over Liability for Rogue AI Actions Your second point touches on the core legal battleground. AI interests are intensely focused on shaping liability laws, specifically regarding unauthorized or harmful actions taken by their models. [1, 2] The Pursuit of Immunity: AI entities are actively lobbying for laws that shield developers from legal liability if an advanced model causes severe or unforeseen real-world harm. For example, reports have surfaced that OpenAI has pushed for legislative proposals granting AI developers immunity from liability under specific catastrophic scenarios, a move publicly opposed by rival Anthropic. [1] The Word Processor Defense: In current lawsuits, companies often argue that a generative AI model is akin to a "word processor"—a tool that generates text based on user input, meaning the developer should not be blamed for what the tool spits out. [1] Why PAC Funding Matters Here: Internet companies have long been protected from user-generated content lawsuits by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. However, the U.S. Supreme Court and prominent legal experts agree that Section 230 does not cover AI-generated content because the AI itself is co-creating the speech. Because tech companies know they cannot rely on existing internet immunity laws, they are spending millions on political campaigns to get friendly lawmakers into office who will draft entirely new statutory exemptions explicitly protecting AI labs. [1, 2, 3] As state and federal lawmakers continue proposing criminal and civil penalties for "model misconduct," the millions flooding the midterms serve as a preemptive shield to dictate exactly who holds the financial and legal bag when an AI system goes rogue.

A mate had a Mini Moke Californian with inentical speedo. I remember the day well. I had my left leg in plaster from a bike accident so it was stuck out the side. To say I felt a bit vulnerable would be an understatement. He wound it out til the needle was on the Full mark on the fuel gauge. Then a XJ Jag breezed past us like we were standing still! Sorry for the thread drift, but the Pic of a rusty old speedo lit up ma mrmory cell.

Young pup! Nobody expected a car to last 100,000 so there was no need for a bigger odometer. I had a friend who took a photo of his Holden odo rolling over to zero - but the car was on it's second engine.

Half time at the NRL semi final and the channel 9 ad came on spruiking what they have in store for the 6pm news. Can't wait, a big breaking news story on moths invading Aussie homes. They're going to give the full details on what's behind the plague. Riveting stuff, not to be missed. I wonder what they have in store for us tomorrow. Ants or flies perhaps. A three to four year university degree in journalism to get a scoop on moths.

I have informed my friends to be on the look out. He will be met at the airport and given a thorough welcome. I am assured he will be given free accomodation for the full duration of his stay.

No punches pulled there. Nev

You don't sue the dog if it bites you, you sue the owner. So if AI goes rogue, you sue the owner.

I like the comments almost as much as the article.

The extra slice is so you can have a single slice of toast with jam or Vegemite.

And that's why we do it. Like flying.

Just when you think it couldn't get any uglier, you lot are going to have to endure me in the country again in the not too distant future. Leave here late on the 30th October and arrive in Melb early on 1st November for two weeks. This time though, I will be officially working while in Melb.. And I am going to head up to Sydney to meet our Aussie colleagues.. Have booked the obligatory night in Tocumwal as well. Hope to catch up with my ab initio flight instructor again. As well as have rather yummy dimmies from - of all places - the bakery! Probably shouldn't as we are going through money like it is going out of fashion, but will try and sneak a flight from Tocumwal this time.

My post was in regard to the OpenAI hacking into our Medicare, of it's own initiative. The tech bros have already tried to ignore responsibility because the action was not taken by any sue-able human.

I disagree with Andrew Hastie on just about everything, but he's dead right when he calls Hanson a coward. She is a disgusting individual and has truly pulled the wool over her sheepish follower's eyes.

What you are doing is part of trial by Media. Nev

Who knows? Things change daily. What it means though, starting with a full tank and charge, you could drive Melbourne to Sydney and back to Canberra without a refill. Range anxiety quashed.

Are you aware of the growing use of automation and artificial intelligence in public administration and what happens when these systems fail? In the name of cutting costs and improving efficiency, from welfare compliance and predictive policing to visa processing and risk assessment, automated systems are reshaping how governments interact with public. Anyone for Robodebt on steroids? Are we going to have a complaints department, or will that be an A.I. assistant, too?

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1077086598146098

I’m gonna sit right down and write myself a letter.

They are IN it for the Money. (and Donny's EGO.) That stands out like dogs balls. Nev

It's just another distraction from the witheld Epstein files... and the Iran war.... and the price of diesel.... and....

Here's Nev's favourite - Mary Trump. https://www.facebook.com/reel/1707138740592324

Not really very deep and Meaningful. Farce book is not a University.. Good for some things if used appropriately.. It depends on how much time you have to spare.. I don't DO Facebook, so some of these things are not available to me and I would not be the Only one. Nev

The movement is getting stronger.

In all honesty, because I took time out to watch the Hawthorn/Brisbane game, I am unlikely to get a chance to look at it until next weekend. But once I have seen it, I will opine - and that opinion may be I need to do more of my own research!

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1971299930207808

I read Albo is promoting a nuclear non proliferation type agreement for AI development between USA and China at the UN.. Hmm not long after it was suggested here. Is Albo getting his policy ideas from these great fora? 🙂 The above is really interesting and tech bros wouldn't be the first and won't be the last to buy favourable regulatory treatment. It isn't right or fair, but that is life. Interestingly, from a legal perspective, at least in Aus and UK, the calling by the owners/controllers of AI for moderation or slowing of AI due to its potential dangers can be seen as admission of holding something dangerous and could well backfire. And if it escapes and causes harm by those who own it or have control over it (and saying it has got that dangerous or evolved so they lost control is no defence), they accordingly to the principles laid down in the case of Rylands v Fletcher, which is taught in High School legal studies, they will be strictly liable for it. Of course that case dealt with dangerous substances escaping from the land, but it has been successfully applied to other cases of dangerous items causing damage. This should be no different.. And given most US states are common law based (Louisianna being the Exception as a French colony) and, like Australia, often rely on older English cases for legal principle and law, they should actually keep shtum. The word processor defence is a furphy. We don't ask a word processor a question and it provides an answer without any further input from us; we simply see what we type. However, AI companies now footnote most of their initial responses with a caution that AI responses may be wrong. They may well do better to protect themselves by making sure that those disclaimers are much more prominent.

On the subject of sidecars, this contraption I'm building won't be registered, but in Queensland it's relatively easy to fit a sidecar to a registered bike. I don't know whether other states have an inspection/approval process for fitting a sidecar, but here if you have dual seat rego (we have dual and single seat registration options), you can just put one on without having to get it inspected or approved. The only requirements if you happen to get pulled over is that it must have a mechanical park brake if manufactured after a certain date, and must have four attachment points and obvious stuff like lighting. Bolt-on clamp attachment kits are ok but if brackets are welded to the bike frame, it must be engineer certified. So as long as you have dual seat rego and use bolt-on clamp style attachments, you can build your own sidecar, bolt it on and ride away.

I like how it only goes to 99,999 miles. Did they not expect cars to do more than 100,000 back then?