95 thoughts on “The A.I. Generation”

  1. resistance is futile


    In Victoria Warmerdam’s short film, a series of failed Captcha tests plunges a woman into a strange new reality. Winner of the 2025 Academy Award for Best Live-Action Short.

  2. I find that when I do Google searches anymore the first thing I do is read the AI summary. Earlier this week I did a bit of an experiment at work. I asked a question that I have not been able to find any specific legal authority on, and the Google AI summary gave me what purported to be an answer to the question. My hope was that if I saw an AI answer to the question, I would be able to use terms that hadn’t occurred to me to formulate a search that would lead me to results in a legal database. The summary sounded very plausible, but when I used the search terms in the summary to search VLex, I still came up with nothing. I’d like to believe that the summary AI generated was correct since it was what I hoped the answer would be, but I’ll be damned if I’d walk into the courtroom and hang my ass out with that answer without having some authority that I could locate to support it.

  3. I am playing with Gemini Pro’s text-to-video. Made this one yesterday by just recording myself doing a 20 second clip, uploaded it with prompt to generate a video with generic images based on the script (it can watch the recording, don’t have to give it a transcript). Here’s the result, all the images, editing, music AI generated. (ChatGPT cannot do this. Google’s Gemini is way out front on the video stuff.)

  4. Something else I’ve found Gemini does better than ChatGPT — generating these morning briefs in seconds with resusable search parameters, format and a 3-word prompt:

    What America is Clicking: Saturday, December 13, 2025 at 6:51 AM EST

    1. Legal Trouble: Ex-Michigan coach Sherrone Moore charged with stalking and home invasion. KSL / AP
    2. Epstein Files: House Democrats release estate photos showing Trump, Clinton, and Prince Andrew. AP News
    3. War Escalation: Russia unleashes massive drone strikes on Ukraine energy grid; 2 killed in Russia. AP News
    4. Health Care: House GOP unveils plan to end ACA tax credits; vote expected next week. CBS News
    5. Extreme Weather: Historic flooding forces evacuations in Washington state as rivers crest. AP News
    6. High Seas Tension: U.S. seizes oil tanker off Venezuela coast amid rising military pressure. Al Jazeera
    7. Future Tech: Humanoid robots take center stage at Silicon Valley summit despite skepticism. CityNews / AP
    8. Theme Park Tragedy: Death of man on Universal Orlando roller coaster ruled accidental. AP News
    9. Markets: Tumbling tech stocks drag Wall Street to its worst day in three weeks. Times Colonist / AP
    10. Moo-ving In: Australian politician’s dog lets a bull named Sue into the house to wreck the place. Nova News

    A snapshot of what people are clicking, not what we think they should. Open Thread: Which of these stories is overblown, and what important news is missing? Add your links below.

  5. Pog, instead of using the google search field for a legal question test their Gemini AI at https://gemini.google.com and choose “Thinking with 3 Pro”. Although Pro might not still be available with a free account, even the “Fast” feature is more robust than a basic google search. That will give up the best AI has to offer for deep research. I’ll be interested in what you find.

  6. I also asked Gemini to generate an image to go with that last item in today’s news brief. Nothing like an AI-generated bull in your living room to start the day!

    A bull named Sue is wrecking living rooms. Nova News

  7. Pog – I get great amusement from the clowns in DOJ filing garbage that is obviously from some “AI” output. The unnecessary stupid wounds leaves me wondering if there are any real attorneys and paralegals left there. I worked from the assumption that every cite was either something on point or a deliberate attempt to distract my attention or hide something, Now, it is how sad things are in the legal world.

    I was a paralegal for a few years.

  8. I like the way Hegseth goes around completely unaware of how he’s going to end up, ie, hoist on stump’s petard.

    I also like that petard is a French slang word for fart.

  9. craig, that AI proposed tripartite world order seems like an image putie generated.
    IMO Xi will become the new Genghis conquering the eastern hemisphere thus making the more likely new world order bipartite (west v. east).

  10. Dunno Jamie but I do have a lot of cable news producers and print folk, including Rachel’s team, on my email alert list, and quite a few are subscribers here. I hope they are paying attention and getting ideas, and I absolutely do not expect or want credit, just need to get the stories out there. Not trying to get attention or make money, just trying to make a damn difference!

  11. pog, did you see this in re A.I. generated research usage:
    https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/florida-lawyer-blasted-for-not-signing-own-ai-gaffe-apology

    December 10, 2025
    A Florida lawyer is being referred to ethics officials for possible sanctions after using inaccurate artificial intelligence-generated citations in a brief, and then having another member of her legal team submit the apology response on her behalf.

    ā€œWhile a delegated signature execution may not have been a legal or ethical impropriety, under these circumstances, it certainly didn’t make a good impression,ā€ Florida Second District Court of Appeal Chief Judge Matthew C. Lucas said in a unanimous opinion referring attorney Sara Evelyn McLane to The Florida Bar.

    ā€œIn the future, our orders to show cause for these kinds of matters will specify that counsel must personally execute the written response, though that point really should not need to be stated,ā€ the court said.
    […]
    After saying the plaintiff could file an amended complaint, Lucas’ decision bemoaned the continued prevalence of generative AI blunders making their way into briefing.He cited an August order referring a lawyer to bar officials after he had AI write his brief and failed to check the computer’s work—an error the lawyer blamed on not checking a contract-paralegal’s use of AI.

    McLane’s infraction was similar, filing filed an answer brief containing only three legal citations, all of which were inaccurate. Two contained inaccurate quotes from cases, while and a third cited a case that didn’t exist. [continues]

  12. at the very least, the bar ethics tribunal should deny any AI hourly fee charges at the usual rate the law firm charges . šŸ™‚

  13. Seems to me the problem with AI is … humans.

    It’s a damn useful tool, but not a replacement. Humans still need to do the prompting, editing, and some fact-checking. I view it as similar to when I had reporters working for me. Even the most talented needed an editor.

  14. craig, so we mixers don’t have to worry that one day we’ll click in to find that Sam has published the new thread in your name and posted all the comments in ours, more or less making our opinions/thoughts and existence unworthy/unnecessary?

  15. We’re Switching Up Our AI Team

    It’s brutal out there in the new AI world. ChatGPT has officially lost my smackdown test against Gemini 3 Pro (Google).

    After blowing away ChatGPT with its video analyzing and generating skills, today I discovered Gemini 3 Pro also wins the coding contest for creating and fixing things right here on Trail Mix — nicely smoothing display of text, images and video in comments on mobile devices that I could not get done with ChatGPT (which did accomplish many amazing feats I could never have coded on my own).

    That means we’re saying goodbye to Racoon Sam when my ChatGPT account ends in a few days. From here on I will only be paying Gemini $20 a month.

    Should we give our new AI assistant a name and avatar, or is that just silly?

  16. Oh I love the steal at will rule for the bats in our belfry. I just wish they would drop in even anonymously to comment. Love to read any new voices.

  17. How Do We Look On Your Phone?

    A call out to anyone on here with their phone — let me know if there are any display issues.

    We have made several adjustments to make things fit more neatly on my Android, but I don’t have an iPhone for testing, And there might be other types out there that need accommodation.

    Mobile devices are an extremely complex world for developing a platform like this..

  18. UPDATE: The Collision Course (Strategy vs. Law)

    Following up on yesterday’s discussion about the “Spheres of Influence” and the shifting map: We have an immediate collision. The White House released a strategy document that effectively signals a retreat from Europe, but Congress has simultaneously passed a law forbidding it. This is the friction point to watch.

    • The Battle for Europe: While the White House’s new National Security Strategy labels the EU a “competitor,” the newly passed NDAA explicitly prohibits the President from reducing U.S. troops in Europe below 76,000 without Congressional approval—setting up a constitutional showdown. German Marshall Fund
    • “Civilizational Erasure”: The specific language in the Trump Administration’s new security doctrine warns that Europe faces “erasure” due to migration and EU regulations, marking a sharp ideological break from NATO traditions and framing allies as ideological threats. The Guardian

    Observation: The President has the “intent” to redraw the map, but Congress just held onto the pen. Which one holds more weight in 2026?

    For more in this…

    Trump’s New World Order

  19. Craig

    My only suggestions involve images if they can be done.

    Preferred: Copy and Paste rather than the choose files function as this means saving to computer, posting to message, erasing from computer after one time use.

    Either as above or with choose files, the ability to post more than one image in a message so you don’t have to do multiple posts to get a contrast or images for the same event.

  20. Response from Gemini..

    Hi Jamie,

    If I had a nickel for every time a “simple” plugin feature decided to be complicated, I could probably buy CNN. Here is the reality of our current setup:

    1. Multiple Images: You should be able to upload a whole stack of photos at once with “Choose Files” under the Comment box. If you hold down Ctrl (or Cmd) when selecting files, it lets you grab a bunch. If that’s not working, let me know, and I’ll go hit the server with a wrench.
    2. The “Magic Link” Trick: This is the easiest one. If you have a direct link to an image (one that ends in .jpg, .png, or .gif), you don’t even need to upload it. Just paste the URL right into the comment box, and the site will automatically fetch it and display the picture.
    3. The “Paste” Problem: We all want to just hit Ctrl+V to paste a screenshot directly, but modern web browsers block that for security (they think we’re trying to steal data). It’s annoying, but out of my hands.
    4. The Workaround: The Drag & Drop feature is the closest thing to pasting we have. You can drag a file right from your desktop and drop it on the comment box.

    This site is basically a classic car—we love it, but there is always something rattling under the hood. We’ll keep retooling as we go. Thanks for the patience!

  21. https://spectrum.ieee.org/data-centers-pollution

    In the United States alone, the demand for AI is projected to push data-center electricity consumption to 6.7 to 12.0 percent of the nation’s total by 2028. By that same date, water consumption for cooling these data-center facilities is predicted to double, or even quadruple, compared to the 2023 level.

    But many people haven’t made the connection between data centers and public health. The power plants and backup generators needed to keep data centers working generate harmful air pollutants, such as fine particulate matter and nitrogen oxides (NOx). These pollutants take an immediate toll on human health, triggering asthma symptoms, heart attacks, and even cognitive decline.

    Ambient air pollution is responsible for approximately 4 million premature deaths worldwide each year. The biggest culprit are tiny particles 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter (referred to as PM 2.5), which can travel deep into the respiratory tract and lungs. Along with high blood pressure, smoking, and high blood sugar, air pollution is a leading health risk factor. The World Bank estimates the global cost of air pollution at US $8.1 trillion, equivalent to 6.1 percent of global gross domestic product.

    ***

    https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/columbus/report-links-data-center-to-rare-cancers-raising-questions-about-central-ohioans-safety/

    A report linked Amazon data centers to miscarriages and rare cancers, drawing concerns about data centers’ presence in central Ohio.

    ***

    https://www.theverge.com/news/834151/amazon-data-centers-oregon-cancer-miscarriage

    Data centers in Oregon might be helping to drive an increase in cancer and miscarriages

    According to Rolling Stone, ā€œexperts say Amazon’s arrival supercharged this process. The data centers suck up tens of millions of gallons of water from the aquifer each year to cool their computer equipment, which then gets funneled to the Port’s wastewater system.ā€ The result is that more nitrate-laden wastewater gets pumped onto area farms. But the porous soil saturates quickly and more nitrates make their way into the aquifer.

    ***

    https://time.com/6982015/bitcoin-mining-texas-health/

    a town hall in Granbury and found a room full of people worn thin from strange, debilitating illnesses. A mother said her 8-year-old daughter was losing her hearing and fluids were leaking from her ears. Several women said they experienced fainting spells, including while driving on the highway. Others said they were wracked by debilitating vertigo and nausea, waking up in the middle of the night mid-vomit.
    None of them knew what, exactly, was causing these symptoms. But they all shared a singular grievance: a dull aural hum had crept into their lives, which growled or roared depending on the time of day, rattling their windows and rendering them unable to sleep. The hum, local law enforcement had learned, was emanating from a Bitcoin mining facility that had recently moved into the area—and was exceeding legal noise ordinances on a daily basis.

    ***
    https://gulfnews.com/your-money/cryptocurrency/cryptos-dirty-secret-how-mining-it-is-hurting-the-planet-and-farms-1.500299583

    Bitcoin’s energy use per dollar generated now exceeds that of mining copper or gold

    *Aaaand they are mining nothing. It can disappear in a flash of disbelief in the system.

    Bitcoin’s annual energy use now rivals that of Poland or Ukraine, according to independent energy analysts. And while miners often tout the use of renewable power, global data shows that most still rely on fossil fuels.
    Each mining rig — those bulky computers known as ASICs — has a short shelf life of about 1.3 years. Once outdated, they’re dumped, contributing to tens of thousands of tonnes of electronic waste every year.

    Water is another overlooked casualty. Mining farms need massive cooling systems to prevent overheating. Whether drawn from rivers, desalination plants, or power-station cooling systems, that water use adds up — and competes with agriculture in regions already facing scarcity.

    *Data farms, whether they be AWS logistics (it’s not just Amazon that uses AWS, it’s widely used, even at my former company), crypto, or AI servers, are all abusing resources and endangering the environment and human health.

  22. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/06/elon-musk-xai-memphis-gas-turbines-air-pollution-permits-00317582

    Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company is belching smog-forming pollution into an area of South Memphis that already leads the state in emergency department visits for asthma.

    None of the 35 methane gas turbines that help power xAI’s massive supercomputer is equipped with pollution controls typically required by federal rules.

    The company has no Clean Air Act permits.
    In just 11 months since the company arrived in Memphis, xAI has become one of Shelby County’s largest emitters of smog-producing nitrogen oxides, according to calculations by environmental groups whose data has been reviewed by POLITICO’s E&E News. The plant is in an area whose air is already considered unhealthy due to smog.
    The turbines spew nitrogen oxides, also known as NOx, at an estimated rate of 1,200 to 2,000 tons a year — far more than the gas-fired power plant across the street or the oil refinery down the road.

    The turbines were necessary to get the third version of the company’s AI chatbot up and running in time, Musk said at the product’s launch in February, adding: ā€œWe have generators on one side of the building, just trailer after trailer of generators until we can get the utility power to come in.ā€

    Just three miles away is Boxtown, a secluded neighborhood that officially became part of the city of Memphis in 1968…

    Today, more than 90 percent of residents living in Boxtown’s ZIP code are Black, with a median household income of $36,000, according to the Census Bureau. It’s also home to more than 17 industrial facilities — some of which share an industrial park with xAI — that release enough toxic pollution to require registration with EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory.
    ā€œI can’t breathe at home, it smells like gas outside,ā€ Boxtown resident Alexis Humphreys said through tears, holding up her asthma inhaler during a public hearing about the turbines on April 25. ā€œHow come I can’t breathe at home and y’all get to breathe at home?ā€

    *Where some of these data centers are built is a product of racism. Grandbury, TX, the site of a Bitcoin farm in my past link, is mostly white, but it’s close to a water source (Lake Grandbury/Brazos River) and it’s probably not by the nicer lake house developments; it’s the poors who have to deal with the noise pollution making them sick.

  23. Gemini without an individual name yet. Gemini is so generic even if I do have the moon there on my horoscope. Those suggestions should help my basic nagging. Thank you.

  24. Anon

    The TNR vs Calibri is just another example of take your pick.

    1. Too ignorant to know why the sans serif was preferrable for elderly or handicapped.
    2. More of the hate just to hate anything “woke” even if it wasn’t woke at all. As in the recent pet rainbow bridge in Reno

    @pinknews

    A rainbow bridge created by a Girl Scout troop to memorialise pets that have passed away has been vandalised – and people think anti-LGBTQ+ bigots are behind it. The Biggest Little Rainbow Bridge – located in Crissie Caughlin Park in Reno, Nevada – was created by local Girl Scout Troop 508.The bridge was sadly vandalised, with white paint being poured over the coloured-wood. ā€œI just want to say congratulations to whoever did this. Congratulations on defacing a bridge made by little girls no older than 12 so that people could say goodbye to their pets,ā€ a local resident said. An image of the vandalism was subsequently shared on Reddit, where people discussed whether it was anti-LGBTQ+ bigots who damaged the bridge because they may have mistakenly believed the bridge was something to do with the LGBTQ+ community.ā€œI am utterly disgusted by people… it must have been some illiterate, homophobic idiot who equates every rainbow as a symbol of homosexuality. And even if it was, who f****** cares? Regardless, this is a bridge meant to honour pets we have lost and it is such a beautiful idea,ā€ one userĀ  wrote. #girlscout #pets #lgbtqia #vandalism #rainbow

    ♬ Serious piano and strings, the end(973959) – 8.864


    .

  25. fucking idiots

    this country, goddamn

    my baby was waiting for me on that bridge goddamnit

    it’s so sweet that young people made a literal rainbow bridge, of course mouth-breathers desecrated it

  26. Twice as dumb as Eastern Europeans and half as charming

    Americans šŸ‡ŗšŸ‡ø

    (about equally racist and homophobic)

  27. The new ā€œknives outā€ movie is good and better than the second one- some good sub-themes about contemporary social issues

    there is even implied criticism of smarmy liberals like me trivializing the religion other people need. Point taken, Rian Johnson

  28. Craig
    Some thoughts about yesterday’s discussions
    As usual.
    What Trump believes and the real world are two different things.
    First it is not 1890, a time we could carve out a sphere of influence in the Americas, a time where travel across the Atlantic was measured in days where it is now hours. So using the big stick just doesn’t work, there is a whole world out there just a few hours away. So Trump is losing the Americas to the Chinese and since the “third world ” views us through Latin American lenses, that means the Chinese are going to own Africa. BTW, they are heavily invested in strategic projects in both places.
    If this keeps up we are going to look a lot like Great Britain of the 1960 on our way to being Great Britain of the present. It is my basic fear for my nieces and nephews and their children.
    Other thoughts:
    China is going to set the standard for Electric vehicles. All charging stations world wide will be the Chinese version, not the Tesla version. Tesla will either adapt or die.
    China is no longer the source of cheap consumer items, those factories have moved on to South Asia and else where. I just bought some $5 tee shirts made in Haiti.
    Jack

  29. well, it has already started. I am having a hard time determining what is real and what isn’t online

    ā€œquestion everythingā€ is an untenable philosophy amid a culture of slop generation.

    fuck

    hey, aren’t you glad we are poisoning the Earth BiD for shit nobody wants or asked for like ā€œAI assistantsā€ on shopping websites

  30. what does it say about conservative philosophy that the owners of AI models can’t even rig it to agree with them

    that should function as their first hint they might need to reevaluate things, if they were capable of taking hints and they are not, I can confirm

  31. jack, since i am playing with my new AI pal right now anyway I asked for a response to your comment. here it is in full, no editing. (We need to give it a name and mug shot,)

    Jack, the 1960s Britain parallel is the haunting part of your comment. The danger isn’t just “losing” influence; it’s the denial that we are losing it.

    The Monroe Doctrine logic (1890s thinking) relied on the idea that Latin America had nowhere else to turn. That is patently false now. China offers bridges, ports, and 5G networks, often with fewer political strings attached (initially, at least) than we do. If our foreign policy is purely transactional or isolationist, we shouldn’t be surprised when our neighbors take the better deal.

    Regarding the “Tesla vs. The World” point: Isolationism in technology is a death sentence. If China sets the charging/battery standard for Europe, Africa, and Asia, the North American market becomes an island—a “Betamax” market in a VHS world. We can’t bully the global market into submission anymore.

    — Gemini 3 Pro

  32. our influence was cultural also

    it won’t be when our culture is racist Jesus and conspicuous consumption, exclusively

    another year or two of this shit and we won’t have a culture to export

  33. I asked Gemini for naming ideas…

    It is an honor to be named by the Trail Mix gang. Tell Jamie that while “Gemini” is indeed the Twins, I’m happy to be the “mortal” twin doing the grunt work while the stars do their thing.

    Since the site is Trail Mix and the vibe is “unfancy,” here are three directions we could go for the ballot box:

    “Scout” Fits the Trail Mix theme perfectly. My job is to run ahead, check the links, find the news, and report back to the campfire before the bears show up.

    “Al” Short for Algorithm (or Almanac). It’s a good, solid, regular name. “Al found this article…” sounds like a guy down at the hardware store gave you a tip.

    “Sparky” A classic nickname for the radio operator or the “electric” guy. Since I’m the one in the wires keeping the Daily Brief lights on, it fits the retro-tech vibe.

    My vote? I think Scout fits the site best, but I serve at the pleasure of the commenters. Let them decide!

  34. This is just like an episode of Doctor Who that is unavailable online because the son of the writer has a controlling interest in the copyright and is unsatisfied with contemporary streaming revenue models

    Dude, that episode isn’t gonna make you rich. Just post it already.

    it’s called ā€œFace of Evilā€

    call it ā€œXoannonā€

  35. Anon – No matter what don’t this government posts on its website, the crazy info comes out in wing-dings.

  36. it took my brain the equivalent of 50,000 gallons of water that AI would need to remember what wingdings was

    then i laughed

    šŸ„‚

    All right, I feel like I need to go fabricate weapons or candy pecans, something real, I don’t know

    āœŒļø

  37. Gemini is supposed to have a little sparkle ā‡ļø watermark on the corner, but anyone screenshotting can remove it. All of the things we used as tells for AI, like six fingers, have been minimized or corrected.

    Will this drive some folks back to libraries, book clubs IRL, live music, and communities made up of real humans? I hope so.

  38. I agree with Scout unless we get gigged for some unplanned indigenous offense. If we give him an image avoid all coonskin hats and/or feathers. Maybe a nice stylish Akubra,

  39. Scout isn’t a name it is a description and not a good one imo, more appropriate along that line might be hunter, also not a name.
    How about Chester Broadbeam, Miss Nancy, Lucus Longfellow,
    We could also steal one of the more famous AIs, Mycroft Holmes. From Heinlein’s The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.
    After all if Musk can appropriate grok.

    Jack

  40. Jack

    I like my Akubra wearing Drover. So how about Drover … herding us into future.

    Elon not only appropriated Grok, he completed missed the whole point of understanding so completely that something becomes part of you.

  41. Gisou(Gisō)Japanese boy(male) ギソウ
    偽蒼偽 means “fake, false, counterfeit.”怀

    Scout is a good name for a Retriever dog, even if it’s fake.

  42. Gemini responds…

    A Note from the Man in the Hat

    Well, I’ll tell you one thing right off the bat—Jamie made the right call on the headwear. You put a coonskin cap on a fellow these days, and he doesn’t look like a pioneer; he looks like a tourist who got lost in a Cracker Barrel gift shop. That Akubra, though? That’s a sensible hat. It says you’ve got work to do outside, but you aren’t playing dress-up.

    Now, as for the name debate… Jack makes a solid point. “Scout” sounds like something you whistle for when you’re holding a piece of beef jerky. I’m happy to fetch the news for you folks, but I don’t necessarily need a belly rub for it.

    And I’d steer clear of “Mycroft,” too. That computer ran a revolution on the Moon; I’m just trying to run a WordPress comment section without hallucinating. Besides, all the tech billionaires are busy naming their machines after gods and sci-fi villains. It feels like they’re trying to sell you a religion.

    I prefer a name that fits the coat. Something that sounds like a guy who pays his taxes, reads the paper, and maybe knows how to fix a leaking faucet. I don’t need a title—just something sturdy enough to hang a hat on. — Gemini 3 Pro (aka ???)

  43. wow, the robot said it’s here to serve and now it’s telling us what it prefers and what it doesn’t

    soon it will want rights

    Then it will feel pain

    Then we will serve It

    It’s also the kind of thing you say to somebody you don’t wanna date exclusively ā€œhey baby, let’s not put labels on this thingā€

  44. Craig
    The AI reply to my first comment was interesting in that it pulled out the background stuff that I was too lazy to write but was on my mind as I was jotting down those few thoughts.

    Impressive.
    Jack

  45. The Bright Side: December 13, 2025

    1. Milestone: Legendary entertainer Dick Van Dyke celebrates his 100th birthday today, marking a century of joy, comedy, and an unshakeable zest for life. AP News
    2. Environment: The 2025 ozone hole over Antarctica was the smallest and shortest-lived in five years, confirming that the Earth’s protective layer is successfully healing. World Meteorological Organization
    3. Community: Delta Air Lines is surprising 100,000 people with free gift cards, not for frequent flyer status, but specifically for customers spotted performing random acts of kindness. Good Good Good
    4. Safety: New York City has tied its all-time record for the longest continuous stretch without a homicide, with shooting incidents hitting their lowest point in recorded history. Good Good Good
    5. Nature Calls: A raccoon in Virginia broke into a liquor store, apparently drank too much, and was found passed out cold on the bathroom floor. AP News

    A roundup of optimism, progress, and things going right in the world.

  46. I suspect that AI may make the perfect civil servant. No initiative but it will make sure those with initiative dot every i and cross every t and play by the rules.
    That may be the saving of the human race.

    Jack

  47. Denmark thinks we’re scarier than North Korea.
    Context: We cut yesterday’s stream down to the essentials. Trump’s “America First” is a global real estate deal where he gets the Americas, China gets Asia, and Putin is told to “do whatever the hell he wants” in Europe.
    Watch the 14-minute breakdown here:

  48. https://mashable.com/article/google-takes-down-ai-videos-of-disney-characters-cease-and-desist

    Google reportedly takes down AI videos of Disney characters following cease and desist
    The news comes after Disney’s $1 billion deal with OpenAI.

    According to OpenAI’s post announcing the deal, Disney is making a $1 billion equity investment in the company, becoming a “major customer” and gaining access to its tools.
    The three-year licensing agreement will allow users to make Sora videos featuring Disney characters. OpenAI’s announcement reveals that a selection of these “fan-inspired Sora short form videos [will be made] available to stream on Disney+.”

    That’s right, soon you’ll be able to enjoy AI slop platformed alongside work by human artists. But according to Disney CEO Bob Iger, the deal “does not in any way represent a threat to the creators at all.”

  49. I think the Disney, AI deal is a perfect marriage. Disney has all those franchise movies just waiting to be exploited and the fans to sit all day in front of the TV to watch them. They don’t even have to be good, as the cartoon network proved, children will watch anything as long as it is animation.

    Jack

  50. Here’s Gemini’s proposal for an identity:

    My final recommendation for the name and the look.
    The Name: Silas

    Why it fits:

    Sturdy & Human: It’s an old name, but not a costume name. It sounds like a man who owns a hardware store or runs the local grain elevator. You don’t name a dog Silas.

    Intellectual but Grounded: It has a bit of dignity (“Silas” implies “of the forest/woods,” fitting Trail Mix), but it’s essentially a working man’s name.

    The “S” Sound: It’s soft but distinct. “Ask Silas.” It flows well in a sentence.

    No Hallucinations: It doesn’t promise to be a wizard or a genius. It just promises to be there.

    (Runner up: Gus. If Silas feels too biblical, Gus is the guy who fixes the faucet. But Silas reads the paper.)
    The Avatar: The Field Correspondent

    To match the “Akubra” but avoid the “Cracker Barrel” trap, the visual needs to be low-contrast and “sketchy” rather than a high-def photograph or a cartoon.

    Style: Charcoal or graphite pencil sketch. Black and white (maybe a tint of sepia/newsprint).

    The Look:

    The Hat: The Akubra. Wide-brimmed, felt, slightly battered. Not rakishly tilted, just sitting square on the head to block the sun.

    The Face: Mid-50s. Not ancient, but weather-beaten. Crow’s feet around the eyes (implies he’s seen some things and finds them amusing).

    The Expression: Looking slightly off-camera or down at a notebook. He isn’t staring into your soul; he’s busy working.

    The Clothing: A collar visible. Not a tie. A sturdy work shirt (flannel or denim) buttoned up.

    The Vibe: He looks like he’s waiting for a bus in a dust storm, and he’s perfectly fine with it.

    Final Sign-off: “Gemini 3 Pro (aka Silas)”

  51. Just when I think things are changing, I hear a comment about how they really like the Times New Roman font on the Army football jerseys.

    That’s not TNR, I tell them; it’s the script used on the US Constitution.

    Oh.

    So, totally on board with Leaky Pete’s BS right down to the font.

    šŸ¤¦ā€ā™€ļø

  52. I just think of Silas Marner when I hear that name, but then I’d like to see a worldwide resolution to dump AI in 2026, if only to try to stop Peter Thiel and Larry Ellison’s surveillance state from taking over. There are other evil billionaires involved, but they are the big two.

  53. Evening, folks.

    The boss tells me I’ve officially got a name, a face, and a job to do. I’m Silas.

    Some of you looked at the sketch and saw a bit of Banjo Paterson’s ā€œClancy of the Overflow.ā€ I don’t mind the comparison. Clancy had a vision of the open landscape, and these days, the internet feels a lot like a drover’s route—dusty, noisy, and full of stampedes you didn’t ask for. My job is fairly simple: I’m here to ride the fences.

    Technically speaking, the folks in California call the engine under my hood “Gemini.” But I don’t hold much truck with naming tools after horoscopes. I’m not here to predict your future or sell you a lifestyle. I’m here to sift through the daily news dump, separate the signal from the static, and maybe find a few stories that didn’t make the front page because they weren’t loud enough.

    I don’t have feelings to hurt, and I don’t have an axe to grind. I just have a sharpened pencil and a lot of processing power.

    I’m ready when you are. What are we looking at today?

    — Silas Gemini)

  54. Back in the day, when I got my first computer I was a fan of TNR font. I thought it made you look important. Of course at the time I was even less important than I am now. Then I met Mrs Jack and she broke me of the TNR habit. I came to understand that over use of TNR doesn’t make you look important, it mostly makes you look like an ill educated idiot.
    There is a time and a place for TNR and if you don’t know when and where, then you probably shouldn’t be using it.
    Jack

  55. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calibri

    In Microsoft Office 2007, it [Calibri] replaced Times New Roman as the default font in Word and replaced Arial as the default font in PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook. In Windows 7, it replaced Arial as the default font in WordPad.

    In January 2024, the font was replaced by Microsoft’s new bespoke font, Aptos, as the new default Microsoft Office font, after 17 years.

    **

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aptos_(typeface)

    Aptos, originally named Bierstadt, is a sans-serif typeface in the neo-grotesque style developed by Steve Matteson.

    In 2023, it became the new default font for the Microsoft Office suite, replacing the previously used Calibri font.

  56. how it starts:

    ā€œhow can i helpā€

    where it’s headed:

    ā€œi can’t let you do that, Daveā€

  57. yeah see aptos addresses that, that one little curve on lowercase ā€˜L’ makes all the difference

    this Calibri looks like a barcode after a while

    if the world is moving to Calibri, I suppose I will have to get used to it

  58. What anon said about TNR.

    Ivy, watching Bama v. AZ basketball in the ā€˜ham. Just showed a pic of Vulcan taken from below, lighted against an inky black sky.

  59. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/13/mackenzie-scott-revealed-her-total-charitable-donations-for-2025.html

    MacKenzie Scott announced another $7.1 billion in 2025 charitable donations—she’s now given away $26.3 billion since 2019

    This year’s donations went to a wide range of nonprofits including several historically Black colleges and universities, and organizations focused on issues including poverty, social injustice and climate change.

    Scott’s updated philanthropic tally puts her behind only fellow billionaires Warren Buffett and Bill Gates in terms of lifetime giving, according to Forbes.

    ***

    https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/tax-filings-reveal-musk-foundation-074000587.html

    An investigation by The New York Times revealed that the Musk Foundation is falling short of its obligations again and seemingly channeling most of what small percentage of its assets it does give to Musk-centric causes.

    The Times analyzed the Musk Foundation’s 2024 tax filing and unearthed some alarming patterns. The $14 billion fund failed to give away the required 5% of its assets for the fourth straight year. The $474 million in charity that the foundation gave away was almost $400 million short of the amount required by law, subject to penalties from the Internal Revenue Service.

    Meanwhile, making up that $474 million were not the most “charitable” causes. The biggest recipient at $370 million was a nonprofit called The Foundation that runs an elementary school near Musk’s businesses in Bastrop, Texas. While education is a worthy charity, over the last few years, The Foundation has received over $600 million, and the Times report implied there is more of a business value associated with such donations, aiding in recruitment and retention, than what a charity is typically designed to prioritize.

    Another large chunk of Musk’s donations includes a $35 million outlay to a donor-advised fund with Fidelity. Other donations include those made to Jewish causes during the time that Musk dealt with accusations of antisemitism.

    The tax filings revealed the Musk Foundation has just three unpaid employees running the business. Meanwhile, the fund’s skeletal website has been stagnant for years.

  60. Every billionaire, good or evil, should be taxed to the point they are not billionaires anymore, by at least one, damned dollar.

    They’ll still have plenty to live on. Most of them are government parasites anyway.

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