$Account.OrganizationName
September 13 - September 19 2010 
 News In Review
 Vol 5, Issue 23
In This Issue
Links Of Further Interest
Quick Links
Quick Links


Join our mailing list!

Dear Ron,

The News In Review newsletter is a service provided by Understand The Times that is a compilation of the news articles previously posted on our site . Understand The Times does not endorse these events but rather is showing the church the current events.  The purpose of posting these articles is to warn the church of deception from a Biblical perspective.

 September 9 - Scientists teach robots to deceive humans
 Article: Misc.

Comment from Understand The Times:
 
The following news item is quite depressing! Apparently, robots created by man are now being designed to deceive humans. This will be very difficult for humans to detect.
 
For years we have known that humans have been doing a professional job of deceiving each other. What will happen when man made robots are able to deceive?
 
Without sounding cynical, we are more concerned about those who profess to be Christians and are not. These people know nothing about true Christianity and are deceiving the world and the church. Some may say this is not possible. Not only is it possible, it is becoming more and more obvious every day to those who have discernment. 

 


 

It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie - U.S. researchers have given robots the ability be to deceptive.

"We have developed algorithms that allow a robot to determine whether it should deceive a human or other intelligent machine and we have designed techniques that help the robot select the best deceptive strategy to reduce its chance of being discovered," said Ronald Arkin, a professor in the Georgia Tech School of Interactive Computing, in a release about the study.

The researchers taught a robot how to recognize when a situation warrants the use of deception, then programed it to behave appropriately.

The researchers said the study - which was published this week online in the International Journal of Social Robotics - will help in places like a battlefield, where a robot can deceive an enemy soldier by creating a false trail, then hide so it will not be caught.

The researchers also said in a search-and-rescue operation, a robot may need to deceive in order to calm or get co-operation from a panicking victim.

"Most social robots will probably rarely use deception, but it's still an important tool in the robot's interactive arsenal, because robots that recognize the need for deception have advantages in terms of outcome compared to robots that do not recognize the need for deception," Wagner said.



Read Full Article .... 


 September 8 - 'Mind-reading machine' can convert thoughts into speech
 Article: Misc.

Comment from Understand The Times:
 
For those of us approaching retirement age, the technology that described in this following article can not happen fast enough. Now, when we forget a name or where we placed an object, a machine will be able to tell us what we just forgot.
 
Perhaps the only solution to this problem will be to develop more technology that will block mind reading technology so that people will think that we are not thinking about anything. When it comes to discernment in Christian circles, it appears that such technology may already exist.
 
However, there is a problem, that will become a great problem for people who think that others don't know what they are thinking about.

 

Researchers have been able to translate brain signals into speech using sensors attached to the surface of the brain for the first time.
The breakthrough, which is up to 90 percent accurate, offers a way to communicate for paralyzed patients who cannot speak and could eventually lead to being able to read anyone thoughts.
"I would call it brain reading and we hope that in two or three years it will be available for use for paralyzed patients."

Because just thinking a word - and not saying it - is thought to produce the same brain signals, Prof Greger and his team believe that soon they will be able to have translation device and voice box that repeats the word you are thinking.

"This is proof of concept," Prof Greger said, "We've proven these signals can tell you what the person is saying well above chance. "Even if we can just get them 30 or 40 words that could really give them so much better quality of life," said Prof Greger.

 



Read Full Article .... 


 September 6 - Privacy concerns grow with the use of RFID tags
 Article: Technology For Global Monetary System

Comment from Understand The Times:
 
Many who read this article will have thoughts they have never thought about before. How would you like it if a world computer was able to know every move you made every minute of every day? What if that information was available to some person?
 
If there ever was a "sin buster," this would be it.
 
By the way, God already has this ability. He is omnipresent (Psalms 139: 1-7).

 

RFID tags - miniature chips that use radio waves to exchange data with reading devices - have been around since World War II, but with production costs dropping and applications sprouting at an unprecedented level, the industry believes the technology's time is now.

An RFID tag can be small enough to be fitted to an ant's back and often use little to no energy, activating only when they are close to a reader. They have been used for years to keep track of livestock, authenticate ID badges, manage inventories or pay bridge and highway tolls.

"I've been involved with RFID for 16 years, and this is the very first year that things are exploding," he said.

Privacy organizations have long criticized the use of RFID chips in documents and items that could be used to track people's movements, determine their identities or make inferences about their habits.

Shortly after the Wal-Mart announcement, privacy organizations said the tags remained active after shoppers took them home and disposed of them, and could be used by marketers or criminals to find out what a person recently bought - including purchases buyers prefer to keep private.

But privacy advocates worry about how retailers themselves might use the information and about the possibility of cross-referencing data from costumers' loyalty cards and RFID-equipped purchases that could effectively identify and track how often shoppers go into the store and where they spend their time. Once information is collected, it's not always clear how it will end up being used or abused," she said.



Read Full Article .... 


 September 13 - Imam says NYC mosque site is not 'hallowed ground'
 Article: Misc.

Comment from Understand The Times:
 
To say that there is such a thing as "moderate" Islam is the same as saying that snow is hot. In the English language this is called an oxymoron.
 
To say that there is "hallowed ground" anywhere on this planet at the present time is the same thing as saying hell is heaven.
 
Worship is not worshipping places, objects or humans. In the English language the word idolatry is used to describe "false worship." All religions worship false gods. True Christianity teaches that true worship is when humans worship the true God. If you are led by the Holy Spirit you will agree.
 
If you disagree, read the Bible. The scriptures condemn the worship of idols. By God's grace there is a provision to get right with Him. Repent and worship Jesus Christ, the Savior.


 

t is two blocks from ground zero, but the site of a proposed mosque and Islamic center shouldn't be seen as "hallowed ground" in a neighborhood that also contains a strip club and a betting parlor, the cleric leading the effort said Monday.

Making an ardent case for the compatibility of Islam and American values,  Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf reiterated that he is searching for a solution to the furor the project has created. But he left unanswered exactly what he had in mind.

If anything, Rauf only deepened the questions around the project's future, telling an audience at the Council on Foreign Relations think tank that he was "exploring all options" - but declining to specify them - while also arguing that a high-profile site is necessary to get across his message of moderate Islam.

Rauf said a project meant to foster understanding has become unduly mired in conflict and what he described as misconceptions of a fundamental clash between Islamic and American values.

"We need to create a platform where the voice of moderate Muslims would be amplified," Rauf said.



Read Full Article: 


 September 8 - 'Europe Needs a Directly Elected Leader with Charisma'
 Article: One World Government

Comment from Understand The Times:
 
It is a well known political fact that charisma is a key factor for winning elections. The election of Obama, for example, was largely because of his charisma and also the media hype which can manipulate charisma.
 
Now we hear about Europe needing a leader with charisma. Hello!
 
Some day soon, there will arise a leader with charisma. He will have solutions to problems. Isn't that interesting? There are a lot of problems in the world. Who and how were the problems created by? Who will have the solutions for these problems?
 
Be aware that the solution to all these problems may look good, but it will be worse than having the problems. Hello, again!

 

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso came out with plenty of fine words during his "state of the union" speech on Tuesday. But his blandness is unlikely to increase support for the EU among Europeans, say observers. German commentators are unimpressed.

But Barroso, who is not known for his charisma or public speaking ability, could only suffer through such comparisons. And indeed, his address, which consisted mainly of a list of the EU's recent accomplishments and its future plans, met with a lukewarm response.

Barroso was criticized both for blandness and for not speaking out clearly on issues such as the deportation of Roma in France, which the EU has expressly criticized.

Commentators writing in the Wednesday editions of Germany's main newspapers give their verdict on Barroso's speech. The consensus is that Europe needs a more passionate advocate if ordinary people are to overcome their apathy regarding the EU.

"Instead of revealing what he really thinks, Barroso remained true to his nickname of the 'chameleon' and spouted elegant, meaningless phrases about 'green' jobs, the fight against racism and the blessings of the internal market. Such a speech does nothing to reduce the general dissatisfaction with the EU. In order to stand up to the self-centeredness of the national capitals, Europe needs a directly elected leader with charisma."



Read Full Article .... 


 September 13 - Stephen Hawking Speaks Out on Space Exploration, Time Travel
 Article: Rising Interest In The Supernatiral

Comment from Understand The Times:
 
Steven Hawking, one of the smartest men in the world, makes some of the most ridiculous conclusions because he does not believe the Bible.
 
First, he is certain that gravity can create the universe and everything in it, including you and himself.
 
Second, he is certain that extraterrestrials exist. This would mean that strange looking demonic creatures can come and go whenever they like and also are the product of gravity.
 
However, he doesn't think humans should make contact with them, because he is pretty sure that these extraterrestrials are out to "mine" our planet. Isn't it amazing what gravity can do? The Bible explains all this. Read the book of Revelation and get ready for what is coming

Humans must continue exploring spa

 

ce, if only for the romance of it, and time travel should be possible, but engineers will have to figure out a way to warp space-time to be sure, famed physicist Stephen Hawking says. 

On paper, time travel should also be in cards because of Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity, which allows for the potential to warp space-time so much that a traveler could leave Earth in a rocket and return home before he or she ever departed, Hawking said. Of course, that means you have to be able to warp space-time, which is pretty tricky. 

He compared humanity's view of the universe to that of a goldfish looking out of its bowl, saying that we can't be sure our view is the "correct" one. We might be in a giant goldfish bowl, for there is no single, absolute picture of reality, he added.

In an April episode of his TV series "Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking," the physicist warned humanity not to be so rapturously eager to find extraterrestrial life. Advanced spacefaring civilizations could be on the prowl for resources, he said on the show. They may be interested only in conquering and strip-mining the Earth, not getting to know us.

"Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing," he wrote. "Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist. It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going."



Read Full Article.... 


 September 13 - UK Catholics 'at odds with church over sex issues'
 Article: Roman Catholic Church And The Last Days

Comment from Understand The Times:
 
Logic should be logical, but when it comes to certain things, there is no logic at all. There are some rules in the Bible about sex, when we have it and when we should not. Right? 
There are also certain authorities who claim they represent God, who come up with their own rules, and say their rules are God's rules. Right? 
Then they should keep and enforce their own rules, right?  
No further comment.

Most British Roman Catholics disagree with their Church's position on issues including contraception, abortion and homosexuality, a survey has found.

But as the Pope prepares to travel to the UK for the first Papal visit in 28 years, respondents expressed firm support for Benedict XVI despite saying they believed the Catholic Church was permanently damaged by child abuse scandals.

Just over one in ten Catholics polled for ITV's Tonight programme agreed with the doctrine that abortion should only be allowed as an indirect consequence of life-saving treatment. A further 44 per cent believed it should also be permitted in cases of rape, incest and a severe disability to the child, while almost a third (30 per cent) said abortion should always be allowed.

Asked about contraception, 4 per cent agreed with the Catholic Church that it was wrong and should not be used compared with seven in 10 (71 per cent) who felt contraception should be used more often to avoid disease and unwanted pregnancies.

More than a quarter (28 per cent) of respondents said it was up to adults to do what they wanted in private and 41 per cent claimed both gay and straight relationships should be celebrated.



Read Full Article.... 


 September 12 - Should the Media Treat all Religions as Dangerous Ideologies?
 Article:Misc.

Comment from Understand The Times:
 
The following article is written in language that is very confusing for ordinary simple people like you and me who are just trying to get by. However, for those who understand "googly-gook" and are trying to set up a one world religion and a New World Order the language is very clear.
 
Interpreting this "googly-gook" into "ordinary speak" is quite easy. What the author says is this: get ready for a world wide system that will try to control what you think, say and do. Thank God for the Bible. The Bible is the Word of God and NOT the Word of man or the word of the     "

The media often investigates new religions such as scientology, but the old established ones from the Middle-East have been fighting for over 1000 years. The home of the two faiths,
the Middle-East, is still in turmoil because of disagreements between them and the monotheistic originator, Judaism.
Even though most of the wars in the world involve the established religions, their right to exist is never questioned. Instead, the media usually cover the wars in an episodic manner, with each war treated as a separate entity. Shanto Iyengar and Adam Simon described episodic news coverage as focusing 'on specific events,' while 'thematic coverage is broader in scope and refers to the policy debate, historical background, or possible political consequences.

Iyengar had explained in a previous book that: 'the dominant episodic news frame illustrates what some media scholars and critics have termed the "hegemonic" model of public communication.In this model, the dissemination of information is considered part of an elaborate "code control" process through which existing power structures are maintained.

Citing Iyengar's work, W. Lance Bennett has called for more thematic reporting: 'In an ideal world, the present information system could be replaced with perspectives that were more institutional, analytical, historical and reflectively critical in orientation.'

Bennett sees the main problem with episodic news as being how it fragments events into discrete episodes that confuse larger patterns and trends.

James Curran also considers that the current media environment undermines intelligent and rational debate, as it tends to frame news issues as: 'simplified, personalised, decontextualised, with a stress on action rather than process, visualisation rather than abstraction, stereotypicality rather than human complexity.'

The next episode in the long running religious wars saga is probably just around the corner.

 



Read Full Article .... 


 September 8 - PA official: We won't recognize Israel as a Jewish state
 Article:Israel And The Last Days

Comment from Understand The Times:
 
The Palestinian Authority will not recognize Israel as a Jewish State. They want it to be a Palestinian State and not a Jewish State. Would that mean they would wipe out Israel if they had a chance?
 
The Palestinian State wants unity in Israel, right? The only unity they want is too have unity without Israel being in Israel. Does anyone get the picture or does it take diplomats from all over the world to fix this problem?
 
The problem will never be fixed until God fixes it.
The Palestinian Authority will not recognize Israel as a Jewish state, even though the PA acknowledges there is a Jewish majority in Israel, senior Palestinian negotiator Nabil Shaath said at a press conference in Ramallah on Wednesday.

According to Shaath, the Palestinian negotiating team turned down Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's request to discuss the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state during the upcoming round of peace talks in Sharm el-Sheikh next week.

Shaath said that the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state would harm Israel's Arab citizens and negate the right of return of Palestinian refugees.

Shaath added that any future peace agreement with Israel would be brought before the Palestinian people in a referendum. "If we're on the verge of a peace agreement, we will need complete unity," he said.



Read Folly Article 


We hope the Weekly News In Review has been a blessing to you.

Sincerely,
Roger Oakland


Forward email

Safe Unsubscribe
This email was sent to ronpierotti@volcano.net by understandthetimes@volcano.net.

Understand The Times, International | P.O. Box 27239 | Santa Ana | CA | 92799