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The Link between the Development of AI and the Health of UK People

Artificial intelligence (AI) development in the UK is closely linked to public health in multiple ways, encompassing both opportunities and risks. Below are the key aspects of this relationship: Opportunities: Challenges and Risks: Policy and Ethical Considerations: The UK government and NHS must address the following to maximize AI’s potential while safeguarding public health: The …

The UK Government’s Proposal to Use AI for Economic Growth: Challenges and Realities

The UK government has recently proposed to harness artificial intelligence (AI) as a key driver for economic growth. This ambition aligns with global trends, where nations view AI as a transformative tool capable of revolutionizing industries, improving efficiency, and unlocking new markets. However, the proposal raises critical questions about energy consumption, employment impacts, and the …

A Family-Led, Tax-Free Approach to Care: Eliminating Bureaucracy and Institutional Oversight

The growing care crisis needs a fresh solution—one that puts families firmly in control. By operating without institutional interference and avoiding taxes and bureaucracy, families can create a localised, cost-effective care model. This approach removes the need for Court of Protection appointed Deputies and frees up resources to pay for essential care services. Key Principles …

AI Team Leadership: A Post-Modern Idea

ChatGPT can be likened to an infinite-sized team led and prompted by a thinking human. The support and help of Team-ChatGPT bridges the gap between individual effort and collective achievement. Here’s an expanded perspective: In essence, ChatGPT functions as a modern reimagining of a team, blending the human traits of mentorship, collaboration, and guidance with …

Twilight of the Old Continent  The “European Garden” is withering

by Artem Kirpichenokby Copied from Caliber.Az26 December 2024 15:05 “We have built a garden. Everything works. It is the best combination of political freedom, economic prosperity and social cohesion that the humankind has been able to build,” proclaimed Josep Borrell, the then EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, in October 2022. His remark drew widespread …

New City may be Built on a Flood Plain

According to the Daily Telegraph, an area of Bedfordshire which has flooding problems is the site for a new city.   https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/property/buying-selling/village-350000-person-city-flooding-hotspot/   Tempsford, a village in Bedfordshire, is being considered for a significant housing development that could transform it into a major city accommodating 350,000 residents. This proposal aligns with Labour’s initiative to establish …

Opt-Out Permits: A Tool for Decentralised Governance

This is impossible in the UK now.  Eventually, it may become necessary. In a rapidly evolving society, where the need for local adaptation increasingly challenges traditional regulation systems, opt-out permits offer a compelling solution. These permits allow individuals, communities, or organisations to opt out of certain formal regulations under specific conditions, fostering innovation and resilience …

Rising Wood Fuel Consumption Shows Limits of Energy Transition

byJohn Alexander Kemp https://jkempenergy.com/2024/12/11/rising-wood-fuel-consumption-shows-limits-of-energy-transition/ Wood and charcoal are among the most traditional sources of energy; they are usually presented as having been replaced by coal in the nineteenth century and then oil in the twentieth as part of the grand energy transition. Wood and other traditional biofuels accounted for just 6% of global primary energy …

The Perils of Extremes

The article, “The Perils of Extremes,” by Tim Morgan offers a thoughtful critique of modern economic and energy systems, emphasizing the risks inherent in polarized and unsustainable strategies. At its core, it highlights three interrelated issues: the overdependence on debt to sustain growth, the diminishing returns from energy resources, and the dangers of ideological rigidity …

The Fracturing of the Net Zero Consensus

Review Professor Sir Dieter Helm’s essay, The Fracturing of the Net Zero Consensus (October 2024), offers a critical perspective on the challenges and shortcomings of current net-zero strategies, particularly in the UK. He argues that the existing policies oversimplify the complexities of decarbonization and underestimate the associated costs, leading to a fragile consensus that risks …

The Economy as a Living System: Integrating James Lovelock’s Vision with Natural Economic Evolution

Introduction James Lovelock’s Gaia hypothesis transformed the understanding of Earth as a self-regulating, living system where the interplay of life forms and physical components work together to maintain conditions that support life. This profound perspective has implications beyond ecology, extending to how we conceptualise economies. As ecosystems evolve independently and sustain themselves through natural feedback …

The Future of the Discretionary Economy 

Further to my post on How Things Are this post on Tim Watkins’s blog “The Consciousness of Sheep” explains why discretionary doings are declining. … hospitality sector trade bodies are calling for nothing short of root and branch reform of the taxes and costs levied on them.  In particular, the outdated business rates system – …

How Things Are

My current view of the UK economy. It is based on Tim Morgan’s explanation of how the UK economy works.  Think of the formal economy as employed people undertaking discretionary and essential activities in a system where discretionary activities are declining. Discretionary activities are becoming increasingly unaffordable because the energy cost of obtaining energy is …

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