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Scottish Football Club Playfully Accuses Elon Musk of Logo Theft
Haddington Town AFC, a Scottish amateur football club, has playfully accused billionaire Elon Musk of “stealing” their logo and is inviting him to join their squad.
The football club noticed striking similarities between their crest and the logo of SpaceX, a space exploration company owned by Musk. Both logos feature a white outline of a goat within a circle on a darker background.
In a tongue-in-cheek post on X (formerly known as Twitter), which is also owned by Musk, Haddington Town AFC jokingly claimed that he had “stolen” their badge and humorously demanded, “Give it back!” They followed up with another message, saying, “Our DMs are open Elon Musk. Come fund our new tracksuits.”
SpaceX is known for its work in designing, manufacturing, and launching advanced rockets and spacecraft. Sky News reached out to the company for a comment regarding the playful accusation.
Haddington Town AFC, based in East Lothian, was established in 2019 and chose the goat as its logo due to its historical association with the town, having appeared on its coat of arms for centuries.
Ryan Leishman, who coaches at the club and manages its social media, was pleasantly surprised to discover approximately 20 notifications from mainly American users on X, pointing out the similarities between the two logos. The team found this situation “hilarious” and even created a graphic humorously naming Elon Musk as the club’s new owner.
Scottish football team jokingly accuse Elon Musk of ‘stealing’ their logo (msn.com)
In a post, they joked: “The club are delighted to have Elon on board, the big man can’t wait to get started. #MonTheGoats.”
Mr. Leishman expressed his amusement, saying, “You’re only going to get an opportunity to do something like this once or twice at an amateur club where things go a little bit viral.”
He revealed that someone informed the club that the SpaceX logo had been circulating since early summer, but Haddington Town AFC had been using their logo since 2019.
Haddington Town AFC competes in the Lothian and Edinburgh Amateur Football Association (LEAFA) Sunday Morning Premier Division. Mr. Leishman stated that the team would be thrilled to have Musk join them on the pitch, suggesting that Musk’s physical attributes make him a promising striker.
Mr. Leishman also emphasized the club’s dedication to charitable activities and their partnership with Show Racism the Red Card. He highlighted the team’s commitment to maintaining its values both on and off the pitch, even amid the playful attention generated by the logo similarity.
As for any legal action, Mr. Leishman joked that the club has no plans to sue Musk and playfully stated, “We’ve got his back. If he wants to fight [Mark] Zuckerberg, we’re in his corner.”
Elon Musk Issues Stark Warning on AI “Civilisational Risk” at Tech Leaders Meeting
Prominent tech magnate and billionaire Elon Musk recently delivered a stark warning to US senators during a private gathering, cautioning against the unregulated advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, which he believes poses a substantial “civilizational risk” to society.
The closed-door meeting, convened by Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, assembled some of the most influential figures in the tech industry, including Mr. Musk of Tesla and SpaceX, Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, Bill Gates, former Microsoft chief, Sundar Pichai of Alphabet, and Sam Altman, founder of OpenAI.
Mr. Musk’s concern for the future of AI technology was palpable as he emerged from the Capitol building after several hours of discussions, emphasizing the necessity of proactive regulation over a reactive approach. He asserted that the consequences of AI gone awry are “severe” and extend beyond mere competition among humans. According to NBC News, he stated, “The question is really one of civilizational risk. It’s not like … one group of humans versus another. It’s like, hey, this is something that’s potentially risky for all humans everywhere.”
Additionally, Mr. Musk proposed the establishment of a government agency specifically dedicated to overseeing AI developments, similar to the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Federal Aviation Administration, with the primary goal of ensuring safety and responsible development within the sector.
Leaders within the tech industry echoed Mr. Musk’s sentiments, advocating for a balanced approach to AI regulation. Mark Zuckerberg, in his prepared remarks, identified “safety and access” as the two fundamental issues related to AI. He called upon the US Congress to actively engage with AI in support of both innovation and safeguards. Mr. Zuckerberg emphasized that companies bear the responsibility of building and deploying AI products responsibly, asserting, “New technology often brings new challenges, and it’s on companies to make sure we build and deploy products responsibly.”
He urged cooperation among policymakers, academics, civil society, and the industry to minimize potential AI risks while maximizing its benefits. To build safeguards into AI systems, he suggested measures such as careful selection of training data, rigorous internal and external testing to identify and address issues, fine-tuning models for alignment, and collaboration with safety-focused cloud providers to add extra layers of protection to released systems.
As the discussions unfolded at Capitol Hill, lawmakers also delved into the conditions faced by workers responsible for tools like ChatGPT, Bing, and Bard at companies such as Microsoft, OpenAI, Meta, Alphabet, and Amazon. Lawmakers, including Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey, expressed concern about the working conditions of data labelers who are tasked with labeling data used to train AI models and rate chatbot responses. They highlighted that these workers often face constant surveillance, low wages, and lack of benefits despite the essential nature of their work. The letter to tech executives further stated that these conditions not only harm the workers but also jeopardize the quality of AI systems, potentially introducing bias and compromising data protection.
In conclusion, the gathering of tech giants and the subsequent discussions underscored the urgent need for responsible AI development, regulation, and the safeguarding of both workers and the broader society from potential risks associated with the technology’s rapid advancement.
“Invasion Warning: One of Earth’s Most Feared Creatures Heads to UK”
“Invasion Warning: One of Earth’s Most Feared Creatures Heads to UK”
New research is issuing a warning about the imminent arrival of one of the world’s most dreaded creatures in Britain.
The red fire ant, renowned as one of the most invasive species globally and ranking as the fifth most expensive to combat, has already found its way to Europe, according to the study’s findings.
“Invasion Warning: One of Earth’s Most Feared Creatures Heads to UK”
This invasive species is notorious for its painful and irritating sting, capable of causing pustules, allergic reactions, and even potentially fatal anaphylactic shock.
Originally hailing from South America and also known as Solenopsis invicta, the red fire ant has left a significant mark on ecosystems, agriculture, and human health in various countries worldwide.
Recent research has unveiled 88 red fire ant nests spanning over five hectares near Syracuse on the Italian island of Sicily. These colonies could have originated from either China or the US, where they are also invasive.
The study’s ecological models offer concerning predictions about the ant’s potential colonization in Europe, which could be accelerated by climate change.
“Invasion Warning: One of Earth’s Most Feared Creatures Heads to UK”
According to the study published in the journal Current Biology, the invasive species might establish itself across seven percent of Europe.
In less than a century, this ant species has spread across significant parts of the US, Mexico, the Caribbean, China, Taiwan, and Australia. New Zealand is among the few places where it has been eradicated. In the US alone, the presence of red fire ants has resulted in an estimated annual loss of over £5 billion.
“Invasion Warning: One of Earth’s Most Feared Creatures Heads to UK”
Countries like Australia have allocated substantial funds for its eradication efforts, albeit with limited success.
Before this study, red fire ants had been sporadically discovered in imported products in Spain, Holland, and Finland. However, their establishment on the continent had never been confirmed.
Through genetic analysis, researchers determined that the population found in Sicily likely originated in China or the US, although the precise entry route remains unknown. These colonies are situated in a suburban region of Syracuse, Sicily, which encompasses an estuary and a natural park.
Dr. Roger Vila, the study’s leader from Spain’s Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE), noted that it is improbable that this area served as the ant’s initial entry point to the island, given its isolated location. The team surmises that the entry point may have been a transit area with human activity, such as the commercial port of Syracuse.
Wind direction analysis suggests that some queen ants may have arrived from the northwest, where Syracuse’s port is situated. The researchers recommend monitoring this area for the presence of these ants.
Dr. Vila emphasized that coordinated efforts for early detection and rapid response are crucial to effectively manage this new threat before it spreads uncontrollably.
Mattia Menchetti, the first author of the study, noted that the public could play a significant role in detecting S. invicta since it is often found in urban and adjacent areas. People can identify these ants through their painful stings and the characteristic mounds of their nests, although expert confirmation is necessary.
The research
“UK Set to Ban Single-Use Vapes Over Child Addiction and Environmental Concerns”
Ministers are on the verge of prohibiting single-use vapes in the UK, responding to calls from councils, prominent pediatricians, and environmental advocates who argue that selling disposable vaping devices should be made illegal due to health and environmental reasons.
“UK Set to Ban Single-Use Vapes Over Child Addiction and Environmental Concerns”
The decision could be announced as early as next week, following the government’s determination that these products are predominantly targeting children, leading to addiction. This development is expected to be unveiled in a forthcoming consultation issued by the Department of Health and Social Care, although the exact timing might change, as reported by the Daily Telegraph.
Last week, The Guardian disclosed that the UK discards five million single-use vapes every week, marking a fourfold increase compared to 2022. Research conducted by the nonprofit organization Material Focus revealed that this equates to eight vapes discarded every second, and the lithium contained in these devices could generate enough material to manufacture 5,000 electric car batteries annually.
Child respiratory specialists criticized the government last year for ignoring warnings about the risks of selling e-cigarettes in child-friendly packaging featuring names of popular sweets, some of which contain 2% nicotine, the highest permissible concentration in the UK. Professor Andrew Bush, a consultant pediatric chest physician, expressed concerns about a potential public health crisis with children becoming addicted to nicotine.
Scott Butler, Executive Director at Material Focus, emphasized that the issue of single-use vapes has worsened significantly over the past year, labeling them as one of the most environmentally wasteful, harmful, and perilous consumer products ever created.
In July, Members of Parliament called on the government to introduce regulations on the packaging and promotion of disposable vapes to address the alarming trend of children using these addictive devices.
The UK currently lags behind other countries in addressing this problem. Australia has banned vaping without a prescription, Germany has prohibited flavored e-cigarettes, New Zealand has outlawed most disposable vapes and imposed restrictions on marketing to children, while France recently announced its intentions to ban all disposable e-cigarettes.
“UK Set to Ban Single-Use Vapes Over Child Addiction and Environmental Concerns”
However, the UK government has refrained from implementing a blanket ban on vaping without a prescription, as it views vaping as a safer alternative for adult smokers.
Professor Sir Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, has emphasized that vaping is a safer option for smokers but is not suitable for nonsmokers, and marketing to children is wholly unacceptable.
A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) stated that they are concerned about the surge in youth vaping and the environmental consequences of single-use vapes. The DHSC launched a call for evidence to identify opportunities for reducing children’s access to vaping products and addressing environmental concerns, with their response forthcoming.
“Elon Musk Addresses Controversy Over Neuralink’s Monkey Experiments”
Elon Musk has responded to reports suggesting that his brain implant company, Neuralink, conducted experiments resulting in the deaths of monkeys. He clarified that the tests were carried out on “terminal” primates and denied any monkey fatalities due to Neuralink’s brain chips.
“Elon Musk Addresses Controversy Over Neuralink’s Monkey Experiments”
Last year, Neuralink acknowledged euthanizing eight animals during trials of its brain-computer interface technology but rejected allegations of subjecting monkeys to “extreme suffering” by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). The PCRM accused Neuralink of inadequate animal care and cited nine violations of the Animal Welfare Act at the University of California’s Davis Primate Centre, where the experiments were conducted.
“Elon Musk Addresses Controversy Over Neuralink’s Monkey Experiments”
Neuralink defended its animal testing practices in a blog post, emphasizing its commitment to humane and ethical animal treatment. The company explained that testing on animals is a necessary step before experimenting with humans, and careful consideration is given to scientific discovery and ethical animal use.
In response to questions raised on X (formerly known as Twitter), Elon Musk provided additional details about Neuralink’s animal testing. He stated that no monkeys had died due to Neuralink implants. The company’s early implant tests were conducted on terminal monkeys, minimizing risks to healthy primates.
Musk founded Neuralink in 2016 with the ambitious goal of merging artificial intelligence with the human brain. The implanted chips aim to improve sensory functions, reasoning abilities, and alleviate anxiety. While the technology initially targets brain disorders and neurological conditions, the timeline for its availability remains uncertain.
In May, Neuralink received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin human testing of its technology. The FDA approval marked a significant milestone, paving the way for the potential benefits of Neuralink’s technology for numerous individuals.
In conclusion, Elon Musk has clarified the circumstances surrounding Neuralink’s monkey experiments, emphasizing the humane approach taken during the trials. The company’s ultimate goal remains the fusion of AI with the human brain, with initial applications focused on addressing neurological conditions and brain disorders.