Today's Reading, by C.S.Lewis. On goodness...

Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. 

The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of. 

An apparently trivial indulgence in lust or anger today is the loss of a ridge or railway line or bridgehead from which the enemy may launch an attack otherwise impossible.

From Mere Christianity

Anthropic warns of 'catastrophic risk' to humankind ahead of blockbuster share listing

Anthropic has warned artificial intelligence (AI) could pose "catastrophic or existential risks to humanity" as it unveiled details of its planned blockbuster stock market listing in the US.

The firm's valuation is expected to exceed that of SpaceX, which was the biggest-ever listing at an initial valuation of about $1.8 trillion in the summer.

Anthropic has not yet disclosed the number of shares to be released, their price range, or a date for the listing.

The Claude chatbot developer reported $16.3bn (£12.2bn) of revenue in the first half of the year, with losses of more than $80.7bn.

Anthropic, which said it will list on the Nasdaq under the symbol ANT, will be the first fully AI-focused company to go public, making it a test case for the future of the technology.

In a filing ahead of its listing, Anthropic said concerns had been raised by policymakers, regulators and researchers as well as by people within its organisation that AI systems posed a significant risk to humanity.

It said advanced AI systems "could, if not developed, deployed, and operated with appropriate safeguards, oversight, and security measures, pose catastrophic or existential risks to humanity, particularly if such systems were misused, replicated, weaponised, or allowed to operate with a high degree of autonomy".

www.bbc.co.uk

Remembrance 2026 - the Poppy Appeal

Remembrance honours those who serve to defend our democratic freedoms and way of life.

We unite across communities, cultures and faiths to remember the service and sacrifices of the Armed Forces community from the UK and the Commonwealth. We reflect on the contributions of those who serve today, and of veterans and their families. We also remember all those who have lost their lives while in service.

Remembrance is deeply personal. It may mean wearing a poppy in November. It could mean joining with others in your community on an anniversary. Or it could mean taking a moment on your own to pause and reflect. Everyone is free to remember in their own way. Find out more in the stories here.

The Poppy Appeal is our flagship campaign held every year in October and November.  

Founded in 1921, the Appeal raises funds for the Royal British Legion’s vital work supporting serving personnel, veterans and their families throughout their lives with whatever the need, whenever it’s needed.  

Our support for those in need is made possible by the generous donations of the public and the 60,000 Poppy Appeal collectors and volunteers who dedicate their time each year to helping fundraise across the country.   

In 2026 poppies will be available from 22nd October at local supermarkets, high street shops, train stations or online at our Poppy Shop.  

The simple act of wearing a poppy sends a personal message of thanks and support for the Armed Forces community to see, and we ask the public not to underestimate the impact that wearing a poppy has on those who serve, and their families. 

www.britishlegion.org.uk

Wanna be a time lord? Travel through time this weekend!

 

In the UK the clocks go forward 1 hour at 1am on the last Sunday in March, and back 1 hour at 2am on the last Sunday in October.

The period when the clocks are 1 hour ahead is called British Summer Time (BST). There’s more daylight in the evenings and less in the mornings (sometimes called Daylight Saving Time).

When the clocks go back, the UK is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

www.gov.uk

Finland orders halt to work on two Google data centres

 

Finnish authorities have ordered a halt to building work at two planned Google data centres amid concerns over the clearance of more than 300 hectares of forest.

The sites form part of Google's record €13bn (£11bn; $15bn) investment in Finland, announced less than a month ago and described by the company as its largest single investment in Europe.

The Finnish Supervisory Agency (LVV) said work at one site was carried out without a mandatory environmental impact assessment and ordered measures that would "significantly alter the environment" to be suspended by 23 October.

Google said it had "fallen short of our own high standards in this instance" and would follow the agency's guidance.

www.bbc.co.uk

Britain’s flagship AI data centre can’t get the power to switch on

Britain wants to be an AI superpower. One of its flagship data centres cannot get the electricity to switch on. Nscale’s £2bn Essex site has the money, the planning permission, and a grid connection, but no power arriving in time.

The British AI firm, backed by Nvidia, is building a £2bn data centre at Loughton in Essex, with Microsoft signed up as its anchor tenant. It won planning permission and a 90-megawatt grid connection. Then it learned the power would not arrive in time to open the site next year, Sifted reported.

So the company is now shopping for its own electricity. It is looking at on-site generation, including reported talks with a California fuel-cell maker, rather than waiting on the National Grid. “We remain fully committed to the Loughton project,” a spokesperson said.

www.thenextweb.com

Contend for the Faith: Why Jude’s Message Still Matters

Jude is tucked away near the back of the Bible, a one-chapter letter (25 verses), often neglected, preserving a timeless message of warnings and pleas that had fallen on the deaf ears of previous generations — and has now come to the attention of ours.

Likely written in the first century, the letter speaks to believers facing a threat from within the church, and its message still speaks to us today.

Who Was Jude, the Brother of Jesus? Jude wrote with fire because he knew the purity of the Gospel was at stake and that people were being quietly led away from it. Traditionally identified as a brother of Jesus, Jude came to call Him Lord and felt the urgency to sound the alarm. Jude was writing as someone who knew Jesus personally and cared deeply about what was happening within the church.

Jesus’ brothers did not initially believe in Him (John 7:5). They had seen His life up close, yet familiarity did not immediately lead them to faith.

After Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, His brothers were among the believers praying with the apostles (Acts 1:14). Scripture does not tell us when Jude came to faith or whether he personally saw the risen Christ. But his letter makes his allegiance unmistakable: he calls himself a servant of Jesus Christ. READ MORE of this excellent study guide by Philip Anthony Mitchell.

Read the book (letter) of Jude at BibleGateway

www.biblegateway.com