Big Brother In Your Pocket

I don’t understand the fascination with AI.  Yeah, I’m old, but still it is hard enough just reading an article online to determine if it is true or not.  Everything I see or read or hear I try to find another source to make sure it’s accurate.  Paranoid isn’t it, or maybe safe.  

President Trump just had major American companies such as NVIDIA, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Broadcom, and others (including Bill Gates?) at the White house for a meeting.  Trump seems to think, probably true, that AI is the future.  A central priority is ensuring that advanced computer chips are manufactured in the U.S., with massive federal and corporate investment.  That means our tax dollars will be used to enslave us through AI algorithms etc.

Even Melania is in on the push, introducing a new educational program designed to help young people learn and adapt to AI technologies. “I predict AI will represent the single largest growth category in our nation during this administration — and I won’t be surprised if AI becomes known as the greatest engine of progress in the history of the United States of America,” the first lady said Thursday. 

“But as leaders and parents, we must manage AI’s growth responsibly,” she added. “During this primitive stage, it is our duty to treat AI as we would our own children — empowering but with watchful guidance.” Amen to that

It seems the AI phenomenon has become almost an obsession. AI presents opportunities and dangers in equal measure.  We are already hearing of some AI programs beginning to self teach themselves.  That is a problem.  As a Christian I have deep concerns.

Below is an article from Bloomberg about another end of days topic of grave concern, that is coming and will eventually spread around the world.  Living in “Prophetic Times” anyone?

From Bloomberg: Government-led Digital ID Coming?

The UK government is advancing plans for a national digital identity system. The Office for Digital Identities and Attributes is leading a movement to “simplify access to government services” through a universal digital ID credential. 

Inspired by a similar focus in France by Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told his Cabinet recently that he is “exploring options” around the concept of a digital ID card that would make it harder for illegal immigrants to live and work in the country.

A similar proposal in 2010 was shut down by the UK government after an outcry because of its impact on civil liberties. One UK newspaper describes the program this way:

Under one option, anyone applying for a new job would be required to produce their digital ID to demonstrate that they have the right to live and work in the UK.

Similar provisions could also be introduced for those moving to new accommodation, making a benefit claim or accessing public services.

One of the proposed credentials is known as a “BritCard,” which downloads to a smartphone and verifies a citizen’s right to work and attain housing. Its goal is to reduce undocumented employment.

The EU is also making a similar push, with the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet) on track to roll out in 2026 for every member state. This will enable users to verify their identity, store credentials and use legally binding digital signatures while online.

Several large-scale pilot programs are testing use cases of these wallets for travel between countries as well as payments. Bank partners like Mastercard are partnering on the EUDI Wallet.

Other proposed uses of a digital ID would allow users over 18 to participate in online gambling or access adult content.

Any of these plans could end up being a privacy and security disaster.

What we do need are guarantees that today’s encryption protections would not be weakened with new legislation. That such an ID Wallet system cannot ever be re-purposed for wider user tracking.

Sadly, it looks like we aren’t there yet — and not only in the EU.

While the UK ID Wallet scheme is still very much in progress, digital rights advocates haven’t exactly welcomed the proposal, rebranding it as the “Big Brother in your pocket.”

Digital or otherwise, every step toward government tracking of civilians—including how they spend money—is a step toward the fulfillment of the Antichrist’s buying-and-selling system in Revelation.

Middle East

Iran backs Azerbaijan, sends arms to Armenia

 AzerbaijanIranIsraelnAGORNO kARABAKHTurkey

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Iran like Turkey consistently supports Azerbaijan, the fourth Shiite Islamic majority nation in the world, while refraining from roundly condemning Christian Armenia, at a time that the two Caucasian nations are locked in fierce combat over the Nagorno Karabakh enclave. The fighting this week escalated to reciprocal attacks on their major cities.

Iran, whose supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is an ethnic Azeri, is home to four Azeri-speaking northwestern provinces, to which some separatist extremists refer as “South Azerbaijan.” Encouraging them could spark secessionist movements among Iran’s other minority groups.  So while Iranian officials have voiced support for Azerbaijan’s integrity – Nagorno Karabakh was internationally recognized as part of its territory although the majority of it population are Armenian Christians – they did not echo Azeri lawmakers in Tehran, who this week accused Armenia of forming “an evil Islamophobic trio in the region” with Israel and the United States.
Condemning Armenia as the aggressor would present Tehran with another problem: its clandestine supply of arms to Azerbaijan’s enemy. Video footage of Iranian arms trucks in Karabakh last April evoked strong denials in Tehran as being “utterly false,” after raising hackles in Baku. In the current outbreak, Iran was accused of allowing the transit of Russian arms to Armenia through its East Azerbaijan Province. This prompted another denial. Iran and Armenia are moreover long trade partners, and Tehran looks after important Armenian churches in the Azeri northwest.

Caught in the middle, Tehran has not surprisingly joined US, Russian and French calls for a ceasefire in the hostilities which erupted last month.

Those hostilities intensified this week, Nagorno-Karabakh claimed to have destroyed Azerbaijan’s military airport in Ganja, a city of 300,000 after its own town of Stepanakert was hit by enemy missiles. Both reported heavy casualties including many civilians.

Turkey had no qualms about accusing Armenia of “targeting civilians” in Ganja, after reportedly sending fighters from its Syrian proxy rebel groups to fight for Azerbaijan. Over and above Erdogan’s Islamic leadership pretentions, his stake in the former Soviet republic is substantial, two pipelines run from Baku’s oilfields into Turkey for re-export to Europe. It is also Ankara’s only supplier of gas.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-3622156405313063&output=html&h=280&slotname=52a34ab.929a8b4&adk=1044004821&adf=3578372130&w=336&lmt=1601905234&psa=1&guci=2.2.0.0.2.2.0.0&format=336×280&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.debka.com%2Firan-backs-azerbaijan-sends-arms-to-armenia%2F&flash=0&wgl=1&adsid=ChEI8Ijr-wUQ-tbZpKGypfbzARJMAJDJqXpbieMDWIzjvPzC-uRiHrhLWYA4x3duk91ZRrsnjn2UvO1Loz0jbt5tDj4qtMDvxrw4o_PmPVDr9JRgdNg2eKiqCKSjjMO5eQ&tt_state=W3siaXNzdWVyT3JpZ2luIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9hZHNlcnZpY2UuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbSIsInN0YXRlIjowfV0.&dt=1601905234468&bpp=7&bdt=69954&idt=9&shv=r20201001&cbv=r20190131&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D65f42ee5ff9fdf30%3AT%3D1594140752%3AS%3DALNI_MaO8c5YlgPjOBmiKHDz2L3vLVkJMg&prev_fmts=310×250%2C1140x280%2C0x0&nras=1&correlator=7906383629948&frm=20&pv=2&ga_vid=1252520059.1594140753&ga_sid=1601905165&ga_hid=1271778326&ga_fc=0&iag=0&icsg=2252352258047998&dssz=108&mdo=0&mso=0&u_tz=-240&u_his=6&u_java=0&u_h=768&u_w=1360&u_ah=728&u_aw=1360&u_cd=24&u_nplug=3&u_nmime=4&adx=457&ady=1660&biw=1343&bih=625&scr_x=0&scr_y=1547&eid=20207460%2C21067466%2C21067603&oid=3&pvsid=1296942216651832&pem=151&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.debka.com%2F&rx=0&eae=0&fc=896&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C1360%2C0%2C1360%2C728%2C1360%2C625&vis=1&rsz=%7Co%7CoeE%7C&abl=NS&pfx=0&fu=8192&bc=31&jar=2020-10-04-18&ifi=10&uci=a!a&fsb=1&xpc=Dykj2OFygb&p=https%3A//www.debka.com&dtd=30

Russia is a traditional ally of Armenia and maintains a large military base in that country.

Azerbaijan acknowledged using Israel-made drones in the fighting, with “devastating effect.” According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Israel sold Azerbaijan some $825 million worth of weapons between 2006 and 2019. Those exports included drones, loitering munitions, anti-tank missiles, and a surface-to-air missile system.

Azerbaijan’s ties with Israel are another factor in Tehran’s preference for a truce in the conflict. Iran certainly does not want to see Israel’s influence taking root near its borders.

U.S. and U.K. accuse Russia of launching new weapon into space By Sophie Mann

Earlier this month, Russia tested an object with the capabilities of targeting satellites in space.

The United States and United Kingdom on Thursday accused Russia of conducting a test on a space-based anti-satellite weapon earlier this month. 

U.S. Space Command said it has evidence that Russia conducted a non-destructive test of a space-based anti-satellite weapon on July 15.

The group also said Russia “injected a new object into orbit” from Cosmos 2543, is a satellite that has been in orbit since 2019. It also said the object has the capabilities to target a satellite. 

The head of the U.K.’s Space Directorate called on Russia to cease any further testing of this sort, saying that it could “risk causing debris that could pose a threat to satellites and the space systems on which the world depends.” 

This marks the first time the United States has accused Russia of testing an “on orbit” weapon, which is a weapon that is based in outer space. 

Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond, commander of U.S. Space Command and U.S. Space Force chief, said that the Russian satellite system used to conduct the test has been of concern for several months.

“This is further evidence of Russia’s continuing efforts to develop and test space-based systems, and consistent with the Kremlin’s published military doctrine to employ weapons that hold US and allied space assets at risk,” Raymond said.

Russian and Chinese anti-satellite weapons were some of the main reasons that led to the creation of the U.S. military branch focused on space – the Space Force – which Raymond now leads. 

Turkey Is on the Move–Middle East News

A new conflict in the Middle East? Turkey is about to start today an experimental drill for gas and oil in a location at the the Mediterranean Sea that Greece claims to be in its territorial waters.

The US and the EU have requested from Turkey to stop the drilling in the Greek territorial waters in the Mediterranean Sea. Not a dull moment here in the Middle East!

, Libya: Turkey and the forces of the government of national accord are ready to invade into the city which is in the territory of the Libyan National Army led by General Haftar. Egypt is monitoring the situation and might intervene to help Haftar’s forces.

news taken from

Amir Tsarfati@BeholdIsrael