There's a new book out about Jack The Ripper. In a series of astonishing luck, coincidence, and hard work, DNA evidence has pointed to a Jewish Russian immigrant as the killer.
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Damoclean: adjective: Involving imminent danger.
ETYMOLOGY:
After Damocles of Greek legend. Earliest documented use: 1888.
Damocles was a courtier in the court of Dionysius, tyrant of Syracuse. Damocles, eager to flatter his king, lavished him with excessive praise. Annoyed by the flattery, the king decided to teach Damocles a memorable lesson.
He held a sumptuous banquet in honor of Damocles. Above Damocles’ seat, he placed a gleaming sword suspended by a single horsehair. When Damocles saw the sword hanging over his head, he lost all taste for the lavish feast. Damocles understood that even those in positions of privilege live under constant threat. Interestingly, the word imminent literally means 'hanging over.'
ETYMOLOGY:
After Damocles of Greek legend. Earliest documented use: 1888.
Damocles was a courtier in the court of Dionysius, tyrant of Syracuse. Damocles, eager to flatter his king, lavished him with excessive praise. Annoyed by the flattery, the king decided to teach Damocles a memorable lesson.
He held a sumptuous banquet in honor of Damocles. Above Damocles’ seat, he placed a gleaming sword suspended by a single horsehair. When Damocles saw the sword hanging over his head, he lost all taste for the lavish feast. Damocles understood that even those in positions of privilege live under constant threat. Interestingly, the word imminent literally means 'hanging over.'
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Retail sales jobs hovered at around 7.5 percent of employment from 2003 to 2013 but have since fallen to only 5.7 percent of employment, a decline of about 25 percent in just a decade. Put another way – the U.S. economy added 19 million total jobs between 2013 and 2023 but lost 850 thousand retail sales jobs. The decline started well before the pandemic.
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AI vs Climate
Former Google chief Eric Schmidt favors dropping climate goals to ensure that AI companies will have enough power to drive their AI ambitions. Incidentally, this is happening now at Google, as its greenhouse gas emissions have jumped by 48% since 2019, primarily driven by its data center energy demands. While Schmidt recognizes the climate problem he believes that we shouldn’t let targets shackle AI development as we could use it to solve that problem. Besides, he says that we will not be able to meet the targets we’ve set anyway.
Schmidt said, “We’re not going to hit the climate goals anyway because we’re not organized to do it — and the way to do it is with the ways that we’re talking about now — and yes, the needs in this area will be a problem. But I’d rather bet on AI solving the problem than constraining it and having the problem, if you see my plan.”
Retail sales jobs hovered at around 7.5 percent of employment from 2003 to 2013 but have since fallen to only 5.7 percent of employment, a decline of about 25 percent in just a decade. Put another way – the U.S. economy added 19 million total jobs between 2013 and 2023 but lost 850 thousand retail sales jobs. The decline started well before the pandemic.
***
AI vs Climate
Former Google chief Eric Schmidt favors dropping climate goals to ensure that AI companies will have enough power to drive their AI ambitions. Incidentally, this is happening now at Google, as its greenhouse gas emissions have jumped by 48% since 2019, primarily driven by its data center energy demands. While Schmidt recognizes the climate problem he believes that we shouldn’t let targets shackle AI development as we could use it to solve that problem. Besides, he says that we will not be able to meet the targets we’ve set anyway.
Schmidt said, “We’re not going to hit the climate goals anyway because we’re not organized to do it — and the way to do it is with the ways that we’re talking about now — and yes, the needs in this area will be a problem. But I’d rather bet on AI solving the problem than constraining it and having the problem, if you see my plan.”
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