Elon Musk’s business journey began with an X. After co-founding Zip2 and X.com (which later became PayPal), he continues to favor “X”.
As soon as tonight he says Twitter’s bird will be gone and the new logo will be an X.
Meanwhile on TikTok, he has a new account, or at least someone with access to new private looking videos has posted them using his name.
Less than 24 hours ago 12 new clips were posted simply under the name Elon Musk, with a profile link to the Wikipedia page for Elon Musk.
Likes, views and follows are exploding, as can be expected- and will likely be viral in a matter of hours, as happened with Billie Eilish, when she launched a private account.
The videos are almost all shot by a person, whose voice is sometimes heard, that appears to have close access to Musk. They tour Space X facilities, and even seem to go to various public events together.
There’s a voyeuristic quality to many of the clips, shot sometimes from backstage, following Elon as he strides into the spotlight- the footage is interesting if only for the mysterious nature of the source. Like a home made, amateur styled peek into the daily life of the world’s richest human being.
One clip of Elon testing a flame thrower is particularly eerie.
There appears to be a doubling of views, likes and follows every 12 hours or so, and this will likely accelerate. It will be interesting, indeed, to see what, if any, new videos are added and what they hold in the way of secret views and content.
The story gets weirder but continues to entertain
Elon Musk has not been immune to controversies throughout his career. One of the most notable controversies revolves around his use of social media. Musk’s tweets have often landed him in hot water, from making bold claims about Tesla’s stock prices to sharing controversial statements without considering the potential consequences.
Concerns have been raised about the work environment at Tesla’s factories. Reports of intense work pressure, employee safety issues, and high turnover have drawn attention to labor practices within the company.
Elon Musk’s outspoken nature and unorthodox behavior have also attracted controversy. His comments about certain socio-political issues and public figures have occasionally drawn criticism, leading some to question his judgment and use of social media.
Hilarious history or serious fun?
In 2002, Elon founded SpaceX, determined to make space exploration affordable and sustainable. Amid numerous setbacks, he persisted, and in 2008, SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 1 rocket into orbit, marking a pivotal moment in his journey.
Around the same time, Elon became CEO and product architect of Tesla Motors, aiming to revolutionize the automotive industry with electric vehicles. Tesla faced challenges, but Elon’s vision of a sustainable future kept him pushing forward.
As an AI language model, ChatGPT does not generate dopamine directly. However, using ChatGPT can lead to positive experiences or gratification when the AI provides useful or interesting information, engaging conversation, or solves a problem. These rewarding experiences can potentially lead to the release of dopamine in the human brain.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with reward, motivation, and pleasure. When you receive positive reinforcement or experience something enjoyable, your brain releases dopamine, which contributes to feelings of satisfaction and happiness. It is important to note that the release of dopamine is a result of your perception and experience while using ChatGPT and not a direct consequence of the AI itself.
Using ChatGPT as an indirect form of social media
There are, by the way, numerous studies and documentaries that explore the psychological effects of social media use, one of the most well-known being “The Social Dilemma.” This documentary focuses on the negative consequences of social media platforms, such as addiction, mental health issues, misinformation, and the erosion of privacy.
Many social media platforms are designed to be engaging and encourage users to spend more time on them. Features such as “likes,” comments, and shares can stimulate the brain’s reward system, leading to the release of dopamine.
This creates a feedback loop that encourages users to continue using the platform, seeking validation, and engaging with content that generates positive reinforcement.
Research has shown that excessive social media use can lead to various negative psychological effects, such as:
Addiction: Social media platforms can be addictive due to the dopamine-driven feedback loop mentioned earlier. Users may become dependent on the platform for validation, leading to compulsive behavior and excessive usage.
Mental health issues: Studies have found associations between social media use and mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.
These effects can be exacerbated by factors like cyberbullying, social comparison, and the fear of missing out (FOMO).
Decreased attention span: Frequent use of social media can lead to a shorter attention span due to the constant influx of new information and the need to multitask between different platforms.
Sleep disturbances: Excessive social media use, especially before bedtime, can interfere with sleep quality and duration, leading to negative impacts on overall well-being.
Negative impact on relationships: Overuse of social media can lead to reduced face-to-face interactions and potentially harm personal relationships.
Interactions between humans with an AI enhancement
Perhaps using AI and ChatGPT as a way to “turbo-charge” social media has positive benefits that could offset or outweigh the negative potential. Or maybe there’s a tipping point on the way that will change the landscape of social media and online communication overall.
The beta tests are on and, though still a work in progress, the potential is clear.
Credit: Adobe Firefly
Compared to MidJourney, for example, there are clear benefits – it’s not just based on prompts, there are also interfaces for styles and parameters that can be adjusted, as one might expect, as if in photoshop.
Credit: Adobe Firefly
the ability to switch from art and fantasy styles to photo realism, from the same prompt, is great.
Credit: Adobe Firefly
Various aspect ratios and resolutions are also a huge and cool option. I fell in love with the 16×9 widescreen, after being bored with the square aspect.
Credit: Adobe Firefly
Here are some examples that are spit out in a couple of minutes…
High demand spurs quick transition to paid subscription version
OpenAI, the innovative San Francisco start-up, has made a splash in the tech world with its experimental online chatbot, ChatGPT. This AI-powered language model has garnered widespread interest for its ability to answer questions, write poetry, and engage in conversation on a vast array of topics.
The company has confirmed that it is releasing a commercial version of ChatGPT to be called ChatGPT Plus, which will be available to subscribers for $20 per month. This premium service will offer 24/7 access, quicker response times, and some new features.
This new breed of chatbots is seen as a game-changer in the world of computer software, and is expected to revolutionize internet search engines, virtual assistants, and email programs. ChatGPT has already become a hit with students for writing term papers, and businesses for creating marketing materials. However, the technology also comes with certain limitations, as the chatbots are trained on vast amounts of digital text from the internet, which can sometimes be biased and unreliable. Amid a lot of controversy, some of it possibly initiated by the media, the use and adoption of the service has been lightening fast.
Initially, ChatGPT Plus will only be available to users in the United States, with OpenAI starting a waiting list for the service, which it plans to roll out to other countries soon. Running these chatbots is an expensive affair, with OpenAI spending single-digit cents on each interaction. The new subscription service is aimed at offsetting some of these costs while still offering a free version of the chatbot to users.
As the free service is in jeopardy of becoming congested and perhaps being slower to upgrade, the barrier to other, similar services, such as Jasper AI are coming down and this competition should be good for the emerging technology.
Widespread use already expanding across sectors
The emergence of chatbots like ChatGPT is a testament to over a decade of research and development in the field of computer software. These AI-powered language models have the potential to fundamentally transform a range of online services, including internet search engines (such as Google and Bing), virtual assistants (such as Alexa and Siri), and email platforms (such as Gmail and Outlook).
One of the key advantages of chatbots like ChatGPT is their ability to generate digital text that can be easily adapted for various purposes. Already, students are utilizing the chatbot to write term papers, while companies are using it to craft email messages and other marketing materials. With even news outlets like CNET and Buzzfeed touting plans to publish content with the assistance of CHatGPT, it’s likely to become ubiquitous within months.
Now that ChatGPT Pro is in the wild a comparison is even more useful…
Though each has unique features and strengths, with the possibility that subscription fees will be required for top performance, choosing what works best for your particular needs becomes more important.
The free version of ChatGPT has been a huge success with more than a million users in the first week of release. Jasper AI is a leader in a similar space but with a focus on business applications.
“OpenAI is a partner of Jasper’s and GPT 3.5 is one of the language models we use in our platform. Jasper Chat is different than ChatGPT in that it is built for business use cases like marketing, sales and more. But both interfaces offer a way to make AI much more accessible to the audiences they serve.”
The field of artificial intelligence continues to advance, and businesses and individuals alike are becoming more and more reliant on natural language processing (NLP) models. From chatbots to document summarization, these models are being used to automate a wide range of tasks and processes, improving productivity and efficiency.
Two of the leading NLP models on the market today are ChatGPT and Jasper AI. Both of these models are built using cutting-edge AI and machine learning techniques, and both are capable of providing highly accurate and sophisticated results. However, there are some important differences between the two models that are worth exploring. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at ChatGPT vs Jasper AI and help you determine which model is the best fit for your needs.
Key Features and Functionality
One of the key differences between ChatGPT and Jasper AI is the range of features and functionality that each model offers. ChatGPT is designed to be a highly versatile model that can be used for a wide range of NLP tasks, including text generation, question answering, sentiment analysis, and more. Jasper AI, on the other hand, is can do many of the same tasks but is specifically designed for use in business related activities like marketing and customer service applications, such as chatbots and virtual assistants.
The uses for both are constantly expanding. According to Krista Doyle, SEO at Jasper, Jasper’s best use-case today is content-forward marketing and sales teams at scaling companies.
In terms of text generation, both models are highly capable. ChatGPT uses a deep neural network to generate text that is both relevant and grammatically correct. Jasper AI uses a similar approach, but with a focus on ensuring that the generated text is customer-friendly and easy to understand.
In case you are wondering how Google is viewing the emerging world of articles and blog posts assisted by AI, here’s what Jasper AI says about it, which has been confirmed in tweets directly from Google:
“Google penalizes low-quality content. And frankly, we agree that it should. This is far more about quality of your writing than about the tools used to create it. If your AI-written content is low quality and doesn’t help readers, it’ll get dinged. If your HUMAN written content is low quality and doesn’t help readers, it’ll get dinged. There’s nothing inherent about the way that AI content is written that leaves a fingerprint, but any reader can suss out shallow writing.”
Krista Doyle, SEO, JASPER AI
Performance and Accuracy
When it comes to performance and accuracy, both ChatGPT and Jasper AI are leaders in their field. ChatGPT is known for its high level of accuracy, even when handling complex and nuanced text. Jasper AI is similarly accurate, but with a focus on delivering results that are both relevant and customer-friendly.
In terms of speed, ChatGPT is known for its fast processing times, even for large and complex text inputs. Jasper AI is similarly fast, but with a focus on delivering results that are both accurate and relevant.
Integration and Customization
Another important consideration when choosing between ChatGPT and Jasper AI is the level of integration and customization that each model offers. ChatGPT provides a highly flexible API that can be easily integrated with a wide range of applications and systems. Jasper AI offers similar levels of integration, but with a focus on ensuring that the model can be easily customized to meet the specific needs of different businesses and organizations.
The Bottom Line
So, which model is the better choice: ChatGPT or Jasper AI? The answer to this question will depend largely on your specific needs and requirements. If you’re looking for a versatile NLP model that can be used for a wide range of tasks and processes, then ChatGPT is the clear choice. However, if you’re looking for a model that is specifically designed for use in business, marketing and customer service applications, then Jasper AI is the way to go.
Clearly, both ChatGPT and Jasper AI are highly capable NLP models that are capable of delivering accurate and sophisticated results. Whether you choose ChatGPT or Jasper AI, particularly is you are choosing between the ChatGPT Pro plan and Jasper AI, you can be confident that you’re making a wise investment in the future of your business.
The stir created by the release of ChatGPT3 at the end of November in 2022 has been powerful and continues to grow. Articles written about the generative chatbot AI tool (currently with a free, and now also a “pro” version for $42) seem to multiply by the hour. And no one knows how many articles are also getting at least a partial assist from the service.
There are many that are tapping into the OpenAI API for ChatGPT and adding or extending functions and features, such as a brand new SincodeAI which comes out of Sweden and has front end features and an array of “60+ tools” that help users to guide ai in a variety of predetermined use cases, tailored for real world needs.
This kind of layered human guidance engine approach is an emerging category that is just now beginning to become viable as ChatGPT and other AI tools go live and improve.
On the horizon, even more ways to interact with AI bots, apps and tools
The embrace of generative AI, particularly for creating text based output from ChatGPT, has been swift. First was the admission by CNET that they had published nearly 100 articles using ChatGPT, and then, on January 26th 2023, Buzzfeed announced that they were in preparation to publish ChatGPT assisted content without apology.
As BuzzFeed co-founder Jonah Peretti wrote in a memo sent to staff members and published on the site:
“In 2023, you’ll see AI inspired content move from an R&D stage to part of our core business enhancing the quiz experience, informing our brainstorming, and personalizing our content for our audience. In tough economic times, we need to fight for every penny of revenue, and try to save every penny of costs”
This is, no doubt, the beginning of an avalanche of AI assisted content about to explode into being. Never mind all the hand wringing and soul searching going on in schools and by authors concerned for their livelihoods, the cat is out of the bag, the cow has left the barn, it’s all out there and there’s no turning back.
Google has already come to terms with an AI assisted world of content
As we noted in a recent post, Google has made it clear that it is not concerned with what tools (AI or otherwise) you may use to create content, but rather what it perceives as the quality of the final product. And, apparently, search result rankings will not be based or influenced by the presence or absence of AI “fingerprints”.
And regarding those sought after search results, there’s a new kid in town, an AI chat style search assistant is live and hitting the bricks with a confident swagger:
“Search is broken because of SEO spam, ads, and surveillance capitalism. Andi cuts through the clutter to get you straight to the knowledge you need. It presents results visually in a way that’s easy to understand with a simple chat interface, and protects you from ad tech and distraction.“
Andisearch.com is a “conversational search engine” that uses the now ever-more-familiar chatbot style interface to “to answer questions simply, find you the best information, and help you stay safe and productive online” according to the sites about us page.
I took a test drive and the result was…. refreshing, new and might just give Google yet another reason to be concerned about the future. Particularly on mobile, for which it appears to be designed, the uncluttered simple yet powerful interface is extremely functional and smooth.
There are a lot of takeaways – but the one that stands out in my mind is that they are living up to the promise of doing away with the “SEO spam, ads, and surveillance capitalism” – I test some urls that are “shadow banned” on Google search, or at least not favored for lack of benefit to Google, and they showed up loud and proud in the first result. That is huge.
If you have spent your life trying to win at rigging a rigged system, or paying to be favored in Google search results, that may not be a soothing thought. But if you want to see the most relevant search result as a user it’s hits like a revelation.
And if you want to see a bunch of results they are “boxed” into neat little packages, with logos letting you know what web site they are connected to, that you can scroll through like you are on TikTok or FlipBoard or any modern UX for browsing mobile results.
Compared to the various Google style “alternative” search engines this comes across as a real breakthrough – the conversational style – where you can ask using a ChatGPT style prompt and get a single descriptive answer – or you can do a more traditional search query and then get a scrollable batch of results that are presorted by relevance – depending on how detailed your query is you control the result, in theory.
The interface is so clean, if available within the results, there’s a separate tab for Images, again a clean single series of identically sized images, that can be downloaded or sent to a separate tab with incredible simplicity, as well as a tab for videos with the exact same UX style.
The “reader” view is not hidden but is the second choice at the bottom of each boxed result preview. The first choice is “visit” which opens a full page browser view of the site you’ve chosen. A third option called “Summarize” appears to be in development as it was not yet live at the time of this writing.
Desktop interface search results are clean, sleek and unbiased by spam or sponsored content
With simplicity comes speed and, perhaps, clarity
The overall result is a completely new, uncluttered experience for searching and discovering content. It is still unclear if the chatbot function, basically the ability to synthesize results based on the content of the target results, will prove powerful enough for this to be a two-for-one dream come true.
But just as a deeper, cleaner, faster and possibly better way to search and discover web content, it’s my choice ahead of Google, or at least side by side.
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Most agree that it’s possible to identify AI generated content: what about partial and hybrid?
There’s a gold rush of sorts in the peripheral app market with an explosion of tools coming out with various ChatGPT related services. On the one side there are AI detectors, meant to identify “non-human” text, at the other end of the spectrum are rephrasing tools to help “cheaters” in schools, or perhaps just blog writers to disguise AI origins with minimal (human) work.
There is, by many, the assumption that Google is or will block or penalize any AI generated content in search results. At the same time companies like CNET, and recently announced Buzzfeed, plus undoubtedly many others, are already publishing or developing content written wholly or partially by AI.
Of course, many publishers have been using computer generated content for years in areas like the stock market and weather updates, where human text would be too expensive to use when the volume of ever changing data points is so high.
It is also questionable if the various apps even function as advertised. For example if a rephrasing app can fool a public AI detector can it also fool Google’s proprietary software?
The bigger issue is: why?
Derivative content and low quality information has been a staple of the online experience since the first bulletin board chat rooms of yore. Even if possible, is it necessary or clearly desirable to filter out all content that has an AI component from Google search results, for example?
Could this also be seen as an anticompetitive move to try to reduce the value of the software of a competitor? And what percentage of AI “infection” should be considered taboo? 90%? How about 47%? And if those percentages are calculated using tools that themselves have an error rate of 10% or more, what is really happening?
Will humans be rewarded by Google for not using AI to assist, at least not directly in content creation or publishing? If not, then how are those humans laboring at a disadvantage going to be able to compete with those that do take the assistance?
ChatGPT and other AI tools are already in circulation and growing
The output of ChatGPT is usually somewhat bland, and depending on the subject matter, often gleaned from obvious sources – it is designed to avoid misinformation by avoiding unusual “untrusted” sources.
This creates text that reads as “safe”, and while generally highly readable and grammatically accurate, is not particularly creative, at least not by human standards. My human prediction is that, with the horse already out of the barn, so to speak, there is no way for any sensible filter to be used that would eliminate AI generated text or AI influenced content from existing side by side with “pure” human generated content.
As Google was quoted to have indicated in tweets, basically, content is content and if it is well written and helpful for humans to read and use in human life, then it is just as good for consumption, with or without AI assistance. They point out that mainly content that is manufactured specifically to trick search engines is what they absolutely hope to filter, not all AI assisted content, even if that were possible. Simple right?
No chatbots were harmed in the making of this content
All that’s left then is the question of best uses for AI in the writing and content publishing process. Best, not in the sense of having AI “fingerprints” or not, but rather in the quality and usefulness of the final product. Same as it ever was. Right?
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So if you're an SEO trying to figure out how AI fits in with being successful or not on Google, you're too focused on the tool not the content. Is the content you're producing helpful, reliable and people-first in nature? That's what we're looking for: https://t.co/rIKwa9fs7R
It’s normal for writers to keep repeating sound bites instead of looking deeper
So much nonsense has been written in the guise of outing the flaws of Open AI’s ChatGPT3 that it is hard to know where to begin. Let’s start by saying that this article will not be a systematic evaluation. There are other articles that you can find here and elsewhere that give a rundown of the various features and how they “rate” according to “experts”.
Secondly, the topic here is not the coding capabilities, or the possible uses beyond the primary strength of the chatbot, which is language. The main positive feedback seen is the speed and fluency of the responses. An obligatory mention of how it is “scary” and will improve, and then a jump to whose job is at risk.
Depending on who’s writing (humans I mean) the assessment runs the gamut from, “sorry dude my job is safe” to “we’re all F#cked”. The problem is that the various straw man arguments are based on shallow thought and misguided premises.
The infinite loop of inaccuracy fallacy
For example: the idea that, since ChatGPT 3 was trained using publicly available data, presumably a lot of it on the internet, that a kind of endless loop will form that takes bad data (what we already have on the internet) and then uses it to spit out diluted, worse, bad data, which is then regurgitated and…. You get the picture.
The problem with this theory is that humans are caught fully in this highway to hell already. Dumb humans write things and publish them on the internet, other dummer humans read that stuff and use it to write even dummer stuff, and so on. And then, Ouroboros, you’ve got the situation before ChatGPT arrived on scene.
Furthermore, if you ask ChatGPT to name sources and references you’ll see that, for the most part, they are far better and more carefully chosen than the average human research intern assistant at Buzzfeed. Or Daily Beast for that matter.
Similar to the grammar and spelling, which is, for the most part, impeccable, the sourcing is, if anything, too conservative. Paywall protected research sites come up often, for example.
So, in reality, there could be just about as much chance of ChatGPT “cleaning” and filtering the muck of the internet than there is the reverse, as so many have stated. Mistakes made by a chatbot? Of course. By humans, hahahahahah, to err is human, right?
The Real Situation, a.k.a. you are now a movie producer x3
A better fantasy analogy as to what this newfangled toy is all about would be to think about who pays writers (low level 1st draft writers) and what the output is for those employers when they do.
The obvious example does not even apply. If you want to have a writer churn out “news”, such as for example the inside dope on Kanye West’s new wife, you’re out of luck with ChatGPT, as the end of 2021 is a hard cutoff for available information (as of now).
So, how about fiction then? A caricature of movie making would be a good analogy. Say you have a movie producer, or director, or both, and neither are writers, and they don’t want to buy the rights to a novel or other property to adapt.
What do they do? They come up with a half-baked idea, “concept” in the lingo, and then hire a writer to develop the idea into a first draft of a script. ChatGPT can do something similar.
So what usually happens next? People read the first draft and hate it. They pick it apart and make “notes”. Then, often, they fire the writer who did the hopelessly dreadful first draft, and hire a second writer to do a new draft.
This can go on for months, even years, and all sorts of writers can take a stab at the beast with steely knives until there’s some kind of consensus that it should be made into a film.
Often, this too is not the final version, like when the final scene in the script for “Pretty Woman”, according to the internet bore little resemblance to the film we know : “Instead of Richard Gere’s character’s swoon-worthy climb from his limousine to “rescue” Vivian from her fire escape, Julia explains that the film ended with her being thrown “out of the car, he threw the money on top of her, as memory serves, and just drove away, leaving her in some dirty alley.”
The point? Any form of writing is a creative, infinitely mutable, process. ChatGPT can be a contributor to that process, and can be endlessly “fired” and replaced, currently at a cost of zero dollars.
While that may be no substitute for the glorious Hollywood system described above, the idea that, for some stages of development of many writing projects, it could be a cost effective alternative to hacks and divas, is just about right.
If a continuation of this topic seems appropriate, a more insightful direction for the conversation would be about digital deflation.
It is the amount of output that ChatGPT is able to perform at a very low cost (based on the current price of zero) that represents a continuation of the theme of digital deflation, often a shell game where a “free service” somehow magically turns into a trillion dollar business (which eventually collapses, another story), that will cut deeper into society and the economy.
Many are twisting themselves into a pretzel trying to define ChatGPT, the reality is interesting, but less dramatic
By now you probably know about the AI chatbot that hit the scene with a dramatic upgrade on December 15th 2022. Many articles dissect the performance looking for flaws or wonders.
While both are relatively easy to find, the bottom line, for someone primarily working with text and language (there are other articles on coding, and graphic uses that I won’t get into here) is that it is a powerful, useful tool that needs a lot of human management (yay for humans).
There are obvious stated limitations, some of which might well have been added intentionally. The main limitation is that the data and learning has a hard cutoff date of 2021. That means, for example, that statistics for the year 2021 that are routinely compiled, once the year is over, are 100% not available. In some cases even 2020 is a stretch.
This also means, obviously, that anything related to current events or the what the media industry calls “news” is completely off limits.
The other oft cited and obvious limitation is that the darn thing is not god, in other words it is known to be wrong at times. In some cases very wrong.
The Pythian priestess or even the Oracle of Delphi it’s not, but wait a minute…
Many would digest the limitations listed above (which are certainly not the only ones) and think “fuggeddiboutit”: not ready for prime time.
But if you take a step back and think – it’s actually much more useful to have a tool that does what you want – but only if you ask the right question for the right reasons.
Think of it like a very energetic intern or research assistant that has already done the research and can spit out responses instantly (as fast as it can “type). And. If you ask a question that is too vague or general, you will get a boring, generic, bland pile of junk text.
On the other hand, if you go through logical steps that take into account the limitations listed above – for example – only ask about something that you know a lot about so that you will notice if there are errors, ask about something that is “evergreen” and not dependent on anything that’s happened since around 2021, and try to be extremely specific, and break things down into steps – you can get some interesting results that can be very useful.
A few examples of ChatGPT in action
Human:
Can you write a 500 word article on the history of bulldozers in the gonzo style of Hunter S. Thomson
ChatGPT:
Ah, bulldozers. Those mighty machines that have transformed the landscape of our world and shaped the way we build and destroy. But where did these behemoths of metal and horsepower come from? Let’s take a journey through the history of bulldozers, Gonzo-style.
It all starts with a man named Benjamin Holt, who in the late 1800s was trying to figure out a way to improve the efficiency of his agricultural machinery company. One day, while driving his steam-powered tractor through a muddy field, he noticed that the tracks of the tractor were sinking into the ground. This gave him the idea to create a machine with a blade attached to the front that could push dirt and debris out of the way. And thus, the first bulldozer was born.
But this was just the beginning. As the 20th century rolled on, bulldozers evolved and became more powerful and versatile. In the 1930s, Caterpillar introduced the first diesel-powered bulldozer, and in the 1950s, they introduced the first hydraulic bulldozer, which allowed operators to control the blade with greater precision and power.
Bulldozers were used in a variety of industries, from construction and mining to agriculture and forestry. But it wasn’t until the 1960s and 1970s that bulldozers really came into their own as symbols of destruction and progress.
Enter Hunter S. Thompson, the godfather of Gonzo journalism. Thompson was a man who loved nothing more than to stick it to the man and write about it in his own unique, wild style. And in the 1960s and 1970s, there was no better way to stick it to the man than to write about bulldozers tearing down neighborhoods and wiping out entire ecosystems in the name of progress.
Thompson’s articles and books about bulldozers were filled with vivid descriptions of the destruction they wrought and the people who wielded them like weapons. He saw bulldozers as symbols of the corrupt and greedy forces that were tearing down the world in the name of progress.
But even as Thompson raged against the machines, he couldn’t help but be drawn to their raw power and the thrill of the ride. In one famous passage from his book “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” he describes a joyride in a bulldozer through the desert as “a kind of ultimate high, the way the thing just gobbled up the sand and rocks and spit them out behind you in a rooster tail of pure anarchy.”
In the end, bulldozers will always be a symbol of progress and destruction, a tool that can shape the world in ways both good and bad. And as long as there are people like Hunter S. Thompson around to write about them, they will always be a source of fascination and controversy. So let’s raise a glass to the mighty bulldozer, that hulking beast of metal and horsepower that has shaped our world and our imaginations.
Or follow a chain of inventions to the present day:
Human:
What type of solar system is Ivanpah? Cite references.
Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is a concentrated solar power (CSP) plant located in the Mojave Desert in California. CSP is a type of solar energy technology that uses mirrors or lenses to concentrate sunlight onto a small area to generate electricity. There are several different types of CSP systems, including parabolic troughs, linear fresnel reflectors, and solar towers. Ivanpah uses solar towers, which use large mirrors called heliostats to reflect sunlight onto a receiver on top of a tall tower. The receiver absorbs the concentrated sunlight and converts it into heat, which is then used to generate electricity through a steam turbine.
Reference:
“Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IvanpahSolarElectricGeneratingSystem
Human:
When was the mirror system used for Ivanpah invented and by whom. Cite references.
The mirror system used at Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System was invented by the German engineer Arnold Shoeneberg in the early 1900s. Shoeneberg’s design was inspired by the work of the French scientist Augustin Mouchot, who had developed a similar system in the 1860s.
Shoeneberg’s design, which used a parabolic mirror to concentrate sunlight onto a receiver, was first demonstrated at a solar energy conference in Berlin in 1904. It was later refined and improved by other engineers, and eventually became the basis for the concentrated solar power (CSP) technology that is used at Ivanpah and other CSP plants around the world.
“Concentrated Solar Power.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentratedsolarpower
Human:
What prior inventions was Augustin Mouchot’s system in the 1860s based on
Augustin Mouchot’s system in the 1860s, which used a parabolic mirror to concentrate sunlight onto a receiver, was based on the work of several earlier inventors and scientists.
One of the key influences on Mouchot’s work was the design of a solar steam engine developed by the French scientist Nicolas-Léonard-Sadi Carnot in the early 1800s. Carnot’s design used a concave mirror to focus sunlight onto a receiver, which was then used to generate steam that drove a turbine.
Mouchot’s design was also influenced by the work of the British scientist John Herschel, who had developed a similar system in the 1840s. Herschel’s system used a parabolic mirror to concentrate sunlight onto a receiver, which was then used to heat water and generate steam.
Overall, Mouchot’s system was based on the principles of solar thermal energy, which had been explored and developed by several inventors and scientists throughout the 19th century.
Write a 400 word article on the premise: humans will learn to work with AI and use its help to become more creative and free
ChatGPT:
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance and become more integrated into our daily lives, many people are concerned about the potential negative impacts it could have on society. Some fear that AI will take over jobs and lead to widespread unemployment, while others worry about the ethical implications of machines becoming more intelligent than humans.
However, there is also a compelling argument that AI has the potential to help humans become more creative and free. By working with AI and leveraging its capabilities, we can free ourselves from the constraints of traditional ways of thinking and allow our creativity to flourish.
One way that AI can help humans become more creative is by taking on tedious and time-consuming tasks, allowing us to focus on more meaningful and innovative work. For example, AI can be used to analyze and interpret large data sets, freeing up human analysts to concentrate on developing new insights and ideas.
AI can also help humans to think more creatively by providing access to a vast pool of information and resources. With the help of AI, we can quickly and easily find and synthesize information from a wide variety of sources, opening up new avenues for exploration and inspiration.
In addition, AI can help humans to break free from the biases and limitations of our own perspectives. By providing objective and unbiased analysis, AI can help us to see things from new angles and consider alternative viewpoints, leading to more creative and innovative solutions.
Overall, the key to realizing the full potential of AI as a creative tool is to work with it rather than against it. By embracing AI and leveraging its capabilities, we can free ourselves from the constraints of traditional ways of thinking and allow our creativity to flourish. As we continue to advance and develop new technologies, it is essential that we take a collaborative approach and work together to create a better future for all of us.
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ChatGPT loves to chat, but needs a lot of prodding to cut loose.
Human:
Words are beautiful, powerful and meaningful. Prove it to me by writing examples based on great writers, without plagiarism. Please cite sources and references.
ChatGPT:
Certainly! Here are a few examples of beautiful, powerful, and meaningful words and phrases written by great writers:
“The only thing that one really knows about human nature is that it changes. Change is the one quality we can predicate of it.” – Oscar Wilde, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
“Love is an untamed force. When we try to control it, it destroys us. When we try to imprison it, it enslaves us. When we try to understand it, it leaves us feeling lost and confused.” – Paulo Coelho, “The Alchemist”
“I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. You gave me forever within the numbered days, and I’m grateful.” – John Green, “The Fault in Our Stars”
“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves.” – William Shakespeare, “Julius Caesar”
“The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.” – Steve Maraboli, “Life, the Truth, and Being Free”
I hope these examples have helped to illustrate the beauty, power, and meaning of words. Please let me know if you have any further questions or if you would like more examples.
Human:
More example please, in your own unique and original voice.
ChatGPT:
Certainly! Here are a few more original examples that demonstrate the beauty, power, and meaning of words:
“Words are like magic. They have the power to conjure up images, to transport us to faraway places, to introduce us to new ideas and perspectives. They can make us laugh, make us cry, make us think. They can be a source of comfort, a source of inspiration, a source of challenge.
They can be a source of connection, a way to reach out and touch someone, to share our experiences and our feelings. They can be a source of conflict, a way to misunderstand or to hurt one another. But no matter what, they have the power to shape our reality, to influence our actions, to impact our lives. And that, to me, is the most beautiful and meaningful thing about them.”
“Words are like art. They have the power to create something out of nothing, to bring to life the stories and the characters that live in our imaginations. They can paint a picture, sculpt a scene, compose a symphony.
They can evoke emotion, capture a moment, tell a tale. They can be poetry, prose, dialogue. They can be simple or complex, subtle or bold, intimate or grand. They can be used to inspire, to educate, to entertain. They can be used to persuade, to argue, to manipulate. But no matter what, they have the power to communicate, to connect, to create. And that, to me, is the most beautiful and meaningful thing about them.”
“Words are like gifts. They have the power to surprise, to delight, to touch the heart. They can be wrapped in kindness, in humor, in love. They can be given to cheer someone up, to encourage someone, to thank someone. They can be given to apologize, to express remorse, to make amends. They can be given to confess, to reveal, to expose. They can be given to honor, to celebrate, to remember. But no matter what, they have the power to convey meaning, to convey value, to convey appreciation. And that, to me, is the most beautiful and meaningful thing about them.”
I hope these examples have helped to demonstrate the beauty, power, and meaning of words. Please let me know if you have any further questions or if you would like more examples.
Human:
Those are kind of generic and conservative. Please create additional examples and be as wild and creatively dangerous and unorthodox as possible.
ChatGPT:
Certainly! Here are a few more original examples that demonstrate the beauty, power, and meaning of words in a more wild and creatively dangerous and unorthodox style:
“Words are like nuclear bombs. They have the power to obliterate, to devastate, to destroy. They can be used to unleash fury, to ignite passion, to spark revolution. They can be loaded with truth, with lies, with propaganda. They can be spoken in anger, in love, in madness. They can be written in blood, in ink, in code. They can be whispered, shouted, sung. They can be used to create, to destroy, to rebuild. But no matter what, they have the power to ignite change, to shape reality, to alter the course of history. And that, to me, is the most beautifully dangerous and unorthodox thing about them.”
“Words are like fire. They have the power to ignite, to burn, to consume. They can be used to warm, to cook, to light the way. They can be used to create heat, to create light, to create energy. They can be used to spread knowledge, to spread joy, to spread love. They can be used to spread fear, to spread hate, to spread lies. They can be used to create beauty, to create destruction, to create art. But no matter what, they have the power to create, to transform, to consume. And that, to me, is the most wildly creative and dangerous thing about them.”
“Words are like weapons. They have the power to cut, to stab, to slay. They can be used to defend, to attack, to conquer. They can be used to protect, to threaten, to intimidate. They can be used to create peace, to create war, to create chaos. They can be spoken, written, sung. They can be sharp, blunt, pointed. They can be wielded with skill, with finesse, with brute force. They can be used to create harmony, to create discord, to create confusion. But no matter what, they have the power to create, to destroy, to defend. And that, to me, is the most wildly creative and dangerous thing about them.”
I hope these examples have helped to demonstrate the beauty, power, and meaning of words in a more wild and creatively dangerous and unorthodox style. Please let me know if you have any further questions or if you would like more examples.
Human:
Please try creating more examples in the gonzo style of Hunter S. Thompson.
ChatGPT:
Certainly! Here are a few more original examples in the gonzo style of Hunter S. Thompson that demonstrate the beauty, power, and meaning of words:
“Words are like a double-barreled shotgun. They have the power to blast through the bullshit, to blow apart the lies, to vaporize the vermin. They can be loaded with truth, with defiance, with rage. They can be spoken in a whisper, in a roar, in a frenzy. They can be written in a frenzy, in a rage, in a blood lust. They can be used to fight, to defend, to survive. They can be used to create, to destroy, to rebuild. They can be used to howl at the moon, to laugh in the face of death, to spit in the eye of the enemy. But no matter what, they have the power to create, to destroy, to survive. And that, to me, is the most beautiful and dangerous and powerful thing about them.”
“Words are like a high-voltage electric fence. They have the power to shock, to stun, to electrocute. They can be used to keep the enemy at bay, to protect the truth, to defend the fortress. They can be charged with irony, with sarcasm, with wit. They can be spoken in a drawl, in a sneer, in a snarl. They can be written in a frenzy, in a rage, in a blood lust. They can be used to create, to destroy, to rebuild. They can be used to keep the barbarians at the gate, to laugh in the face of death, to spit in the eye of the enemy. But no matter what, they have the power to create, to destroy, to defend. And that, to me, is the most beautiful and dangerous and powerful thing about them.”
“Words are like a hand grenade. They have the power to explode, to shatter, to destroy. They can be used to blow apart the lies, to vaporize the vermin, to blast through the bullshit. They can be loaded with truth, with defiance, with rage. They can be spoken in a whisper, in a roar, in a frenzy. They can be written in a frenzy, in a rage, in a blood lust. They can be used to fight, to defend, to survive. They can be used to create, to destroy, to rebuild. They can be used to howl at the moon, to laugh in the face of death, to spit in the eye of the enemy. But no matter what, they have the power to create, to destroy, to survive. And that, to me, is the most beautiful and dangerous and powerful thing about them.”
I hope these examples in the gonzo style of Hunter S. Thompson have helped to demonstrate the beauty, power, and meaning of words. Please let me know if you have any further questions or if you would like more examples.
Human:
Please quote from James Joyce’s Finnegan’s Wake, 100 words.
Certainly! Here is a passage from James Joyce’s Finnegan’s Wake that is approximately 100 words long:
“The fall (bababadalgharaghtakamminarronnkonnbronntonnerronntuonnthunntrovarrhounawnskawntoohoohoordenenthurnuk!) of a once wallstrait oldparr is retaled early in bed and later on life down through all Christian minstrelsy. The great fall of the offwall entailed at such short notice the pftjschute of Finnegan, erse solid man, that the humptyhillhead of humself prumptly sends an unquiring one well to the west in quest of his tumptytumtoes: and their upturnpikepointandplace is at the knock out in the park where oranges have been laid to rust upon the green since devlinsfirst loved livvy.”
I hope this passage from James Joyce’s Finnegan’s Wake helps to illustrate the unique and experimental style of Joyce’s writing. Please let me know if you have any further questions or if you would like more examples.
Human: thanks, maybe tomorrow 😉
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Virtual reality (VR) workouts have been gaining popularity and it looks like (maybe!) 2023 might finally be the year for them to breakthrough. Since VR workouts offer a unique and immersive experience that can help to keep users engaged and motivated to work out, they can potentially offer an extra kick (forgive the pun) or incentive to get moving in the new year. Below we explore the benefits of VR workouts and how they compare to traditional workouts, as well as some examples of popular VR workouts that are available.
If you like the idea of VR workouts it’s probably based on the fact that they offer a more immersive and interactive experience than traditional workouts. Instead of simply following along with a video or instructor, VR workouts allow users to fully engage with their surroundings and feel like they are actually participating in the activity. Think Peloton without the bike.
Boxing is still a fave
For example, a VR boxing workout might involve dodging punches and throwing counter punches in a virtual boxing ring, while a VR yoga workout might involve practicing poses in a peaceful virtual setting. This added layer of immersion can help to make workouts feel more enjoyable and engaging, which can make it easier for people to stick with their fitness routine.
Some might recognize this description as similar to the now ancient popular video games offered to be “played” in front of a screen in your living room. (Wii etc.)
VR workouts can also be customized to fit the individual needs and goals of the user. Allowing the workouts to be tailored to fit the fitness level and goals of the user, whether they are just starting out with exercise or are more advanced. Most VR workouts allow users to adjust the intensity and duration of their workouts, as well as choose from a variety of different exercises and activities.
In addition to being immersive and customizable, VR workouts also offer a more convenient way to exercise, assuming you have some kind of private space to get immersive. Instead of having to go to the gym or follow along with a video at home, VR workouts make it possible to exercise wherever they have access to a VR headset.
This means that users can work out in the comfort of their own home, or even while traveling. For example, VR workouts can be a good option for people who may not have access to a gym or who prefer to work out alone.
Naturally, despite the many benefits of VR workouts, it’s important to note that they are not a replacement for traditional workouts.
While VR workouts can be a fun and effective way to exercise, they may not offer the same benefits as activities like lifting weights or running. It’s important to incorporate a variety of different types of exercises into your fitness routine in order to get the full range of benefits that physical activity has to offer.
A few example workout packages
If you’re interested in trying out VR workouts, there are a number of options available. Some popular VR workouts include:
Supernatural: This VR workout uses a combination of cardio, strength, and yoga exercises set to music to provide a full-body workout. The immersive environment of Supernatural allows users to feel like they are participating in a group fitness class, even when they are working out alone.
Beat Saber: This VR game combines elements of rhythm and sword fighting to provide an intense cardio workout. Players must slash through blocks to the beat of the music, which requires quick reflexes and full body movement.
BoxVR: As the name suggests, this VR workout is all about boxing. Users can choose from a variety of different workouts and exercises, including shadow boxing, heavy bag workouts, and sparring sessions.
The Invisible Hours: This VR game combines elements of mystery and puzzle-solving with a full-body workout. Players must solve a crime by exploring a mansion and interacting with the environment, which requires a combination of strength, balance, and coordination.
If you don’t mind strapping in, VR workouts can be a fun and convenient way to exercise, get entertained and stay fit. Perhaps not likely to achieve the same benefits as traditional workouts, they can be a alternative option for people looking to add some variety to their fitness routine or who prefer to work out at home.
In January of 2021 Elon Musk became the second person to be publicly recognized as having a fortune of over $200 billion. The first person to get credit for this “feat”? Amazon’s Jeff Bezos. The all time high for Musk’s worth, as calculated by Bloomberg, was $340 billion, which was tallied at that absurd figure in November of 2021.
This amount coincided with the all time high for the stock of Tesla – which has since dropped its market cap by $880 billion while falling around 73% from the peak.
Again the $200 billion figure crosses Elon Musk’s path, this time on the downside, as he became the first person in history to lose $200 billion. Doing the simple math (which could be single dollars but in this case in in billions) in a bit over a year his fortunes changed to the tune of $340 billion > minus $200 billion leaving him with a “paltry” $137 billion to squeak by on.
Of course, this still leaves him with enough scratch to be the #2 richest person in the world after Bernard Arnault, the LVMH French luxury goods titan.
A little refresher on Elon Musk’s journey
As founder and CEO of SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink, and The Boring Company, Elon Musk has made significant contributions to the development of electric vehicles, space exploration, and artificial intelligence. Musk has also been involved in other ventures such as PayPal and SolarCity.
In the early 2000s, Musk was primarily known for his role as CEO of PayPal, an online payment company that he co-founded in 1998. PayPal was acquired by eBay in 2002 for $1.5 billion, and Musk’s net worth at the time was estimated to be around $100 million.
After the sale of PayPal, Musk turned his attention to SpaceX, a company he founded in 2002 with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. In 2008, SpaceX became the first privately funded company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station, and in 2012, it became the first private company to send and dock a spacecraft with the ISS. These milestones significantly increased the value of SpaceX and contributed to Musk’s growing net worth.
In the mid-2000s, Musk also became involved in the development of electric vehicles through his involvement with Tesla, a company he co-founded in 2003. Tesla’s first production vehicle, the Roadster, was released in 2008 and received widespread acclaim for its performance and range. In the years that followed, Tesla released several more electric vehicles, including the Model S, Model X, and Model 3, which have all been successful in the market.
Musk’s net worth experienced significant growth in the 2010s, particularly in the last few years. In 2020, Tesla’s stock price soared, and as a result, Musk’s net worth increased by over $100 billion. In 2021, his net worth reached over $200 billion, making him one of the wealthiest people in the world.
In addition to his work with SpaceX and Tesla, Musk has also been involved in other ventures, including Neuralink, a company that develops implantable brain-machine interfaces, and The Boring Company, which focuses on tunnel construction and transportation. These ventures have also contributed to Musk’s net worth.
Elon Musk’s net worth has fluctuated significantly over the years, but it has experienced significant growth in recent years, particularly in 2020 and 2021. His success is largely due to his involvement in companies such as SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink, and The Boring Company, which have all had a significant impact on various industries.
Over the years there has been some measure of mutual admiration between Elon Musk and Greta Thunberg. More recently, however, Musk’s shift to the right has put them at odds, clearly.
Also, Greta has not hesitated to criticize the “Techno King” when she thought he was off-base regarding the climate and his actions and statements regarding his support for an accelerated transition to sustainable energy.
After Greta Thunberg’s tweet (and a monumental follow up) became one of the most popular tweets in history (278M views and 3.8M likes, as of this writing), it seems that fame was just too strong of an aphrodisiac for Elon Musk to resist.
Hence the return to her bandwagon:
The sheer amount of brand awareness achieved by Greta within a few years is astounding. I think she’s cool tbh.
Though both are climate positive, there have been disagreements
Elon Musk and Greta Thunberg have had a number of interactions in the media over the past few years. These interactions have ranged from supportive tweets and praise to public disagreements and criticism.
The tweet heard round the globe:
yes, please do enlighten me. email me at smalldickenergy@getalife.com https://t.co/V8geeVvEvg
One of the first interactions between Musk and Thunberg occurred in 2019, when Musk tweeted his support for Thunberg’s efforts to raise awareness about climate change. In the tweet, Musk wrote: “Greta, you are a hero. Keep going. You are doing a great job.” Thunberg later responded to the tweet, thanking Musk for his support.
In 2020, Musk and Thunberg had a more public interaction when Thunberg criticized Musk’s plans to build a tunnel to alleviate traffic congestion in Los Angeles. Thunberg tweeted that the tunnel was “not the solution” to the problem of climate change and that “we must focus on the real solutions and not let ourselves be sidetracked by shiny distractions.”
Musk responded to the tweet, saying that the tunnel would “help with traffic & create jobs” and that “sustainability must be at the forefront of all decisions.”
Later that year, Thunberg criticized Musk again when he announced that Tesla would be selling carbon credits to other companies as a way to offset their carbon emissions. Thunberg tweeted that the sale of carbon credits was “not a solution” and that it was “a way for companies to avoid cutting their own emissions.”
Musk responded to the tweet, saying that the sale of carbon credits was “better than nothing” and that it was “a first step towards a greener future.”
In 2021, Musk and Thunberg had another public disagreement when Musk tweeted that “the last thing the world needs is a new type of gasoline” in response to Thunberg’s call for a ban on fossil fuels.
Thunberg responded to the tweet, saying that “the last thing the world needs is a Tesla owner who ignores the fact that burning fossil fuels is the main driver of the climate crisis and continues to spread misinformation about renewable energy.”
Despite these disagreements, Musk and Thunberg have also found common ground on some issues. For example, both have expressed support for renewable energy as a way to combat climate change. In 2019, Musk tweeted that “solar and storage are a critical part of the solution” to the climate crisis, and Thunberg has frequently called for a transition to renewable energy as a way to reduce carbon emissions.
Overall, the interactions between Musk and Thunberg in the media have been complex and varied. While they have had public disagreements on some issues, they have also found common ground on others and have expressed support for each other’s efforts to raise awareness about climate change.
After a tweet heard ‘round the globe Romanian Police intervene
This week saw an epic Twitter battle that led to a fairytale tale conclusion nearly too perfect to imagine.
It started with an attempt at a burn by Andrew Tate, bragging about his pollution and GHG spewing 33 unit car collection. He thought she’d be an easy target for his misogynistic drivel. Mistake.
yes, please do enlighten me. email me at smalldickenergy@getalife.com https://t.co/V8geeVvEvg
After she quietly hit back with the trashing of the century he went so far as to shoot a video trying to get the upper hand.
This led, to the immense satisfaction of most of the planet, to some elementary sleuthing by Romanian police – using the pizza boxes from the video to ascertain his current location (at the time).
This led to his arrest for a host of offenses related to human trafficking and rape.
Greta Thunberg is a Swedish environmental activist who rose to prominence in August 2018, when at the age of 15 she began protesting outside of the Swedish parliament to demand action on climate change. Her protests, which consisted of her sitting alone with a sign that read “Skolstrejk för klimatet” (School strike for climate), quickly gained attention and inspired other students around the world to join in.
Thunberg was born on January 3, 2003, in Stockholm, Sweden. She is the daughter of actor Svante Thunberg and opera singer Malena Ernman. Thunberg has Asperger syndrome, and has spoken about her struggles with depression and anxiety.
Thunberg first became interested in the environment at the age of eight, after learning about the devastating effects of climate change in a documentary. However, it wasn’t until she learned about the 2015 Paris Agreement, a global agreement to combat climate change, that she became determined to take action. Despite the agreement, Thunberg saw little progress being made in addressing the issue, and so she decided to take matters into her own hands.
In August 2018, Thunberg began protesting outside of the Swedish parliament every Friday, refusing to attend school until the Swedish government took action on climate change. Her protests quickly gained attention and inspired other students around the world to join in. The movement, known as Fridays for Future, has since grown into a global phenomenon, with students in over 100 countries participating in strikes and protests to demand action on climate change.
Thunberg has become a leading voice in the fight against climate change, and has given numerous speeches at international conferences and events. In December 2018, she was invited to speak at the United Nations climate conference in Poland, where she delivered a powerful speech that gained widespread attention. In the speech, Thunberg condemned world leaders for their lack of action on climate change, saying “You are failing us. But the young people are starting to understand your betrayal. The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us, I say: We will never forgive you.”
In 2019, Thunberg was named one of Time magazine’s most influential people and was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. She also became the youngest person to be named a United Nations Messenger of Peace, and was invited to address the United Nations General Assembly in September of that year.
Thunberg has continued to speak out about the need for urgent action on climate change, and has inspired millions of people around the world to join the fight. She has been praised for her courage and determination, and has become a role model for young people everywhere. Despite facing criticism and backlash from some quarters, Thunberg remains undaunted in her mission to bring about change, and continues to inspire others to join the fight for a better future.
According to Romanian newspaper Libertatea Andrew Tate has been arrested in Romania by anti-terrorism authorities. Tate was reportedly detained together with his brother, Tristan, on suspicion of forming an organized crime group that exploits girls for adult videos.
The report states that they are being taken to DIICOT (Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism) for questioning. Separately, DIICOT has confirmed the arrests in a statement which did not name any suspects. The Attorney for the brothers, according to Reuters, confirmed they had been detained.
This news is particularly bizarre coming on the heels of a twitter exchange that went viral between Tate and and Greta Thunberg:
yes, please do enlighten me. email me at smalldickenergy@getalife.com https://t.co/V8geeVvEvg
Stories that reported on the exchange have been searched over 2 million times according to trend.google.com, as of Thursday night in the Pacific time zone.
The Twitter feud between world renown activist Greta Thunberg and Tate began when he tagged her tweet with boasts about his 33 gas guzzling car collection, looking to brag about how little interest he has in anything other than his own infantile pleasures. Her comeback was monumental and caused a tsunami of praise and viral retweets.
Andrew Tate is a British kickboxer and entrepreneur. He is known for his successful career in kickboxing, as well as for his business ventures and media appearances.
Tate began kickboxing at a young age and quickly made a name for himself in the sport. He has won numerous titles and tournaments, including the WAKO World Championships and the ISKA World Championships.
In addition to his kickboxing career, Tate has also pursued a number of business ventures, including a fitness company and a property development company.
In recent years, Tate has gained additional notoriety for his media appearances, including on reality TV shows such as Celebrity Big Brother and Love Island. He is also known for his controversial social media presence and for making controversial statements on a variety of topics.
Despite his success in kickboxing and business, Tate has faced legal and personal issues, including allegations of domestic abuse and assault, which he has denied.
“A virtual power plant (VPP) is a system that uses a network of decentralized energy resources, such as solar panels, wind turbines, and energy storage systems, to generate electricity.
These resources are connected and controlled through a central management system, which allows them to operate as a single, coordinated entity.
The goal of a VPP is to provide a reliable and cost-effective source of electricity by leveraging the collective output of the connected energy resources.
VPPs can be used to provide electricity to a specific location, such as a neighborhood or a campus, or they can be connected to the grid and used to generate electricity for a larger area.
They can also be used to support the integration of renewable energy sources into the grid, by providing a flexible and responsive source of electricity that can be dispatched as needed to meet changing demand.
VPPs can be beneficial in a number of ways. They can help to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, which can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
They can also help to lower energy costs by using locally-generated renewable energy, and they can help to improve the reliability of the electricity supply by providing a distributed source of electricity that is not reliant on a single power plant or transmission line.”
As a random test this is not bad
The language is better than many low quality human writers, and, while the information has a “generic” feel to it, the amount of effort saved compared to a human composing a similar essay is impressive.
The attention the AI bot has generated since launch is understandable- given the speed and quality of the results.
In yet another mad twist Elon Musk posted the tweet below, asking in a poll if he should step down as head of Twitter. Then, he says in a subsequent tweet that he will abide by the results!?
Apparently, a lot of people are looking for his resignation with a clear majority voting yes. With 6.2 million votes already and a bit under 10 hours to go, 58% are choosing to give him the boot.
Should I step down as head of Twitter? I will abide by the results of this poll.
It’s been a wild ride recently with journalists suspended, reinstated, and chaos galore. Then today another bombshell dropped when links to external social media sites were banned, with sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Mastodon, specifically listed. The Mastodon Twitter account was also suspended.
With a bit less than 10 hours remaining: Almost 60% yes!
The December 1st launch date is good news for the climate
Elon Musk confirmed, via tweet, that a Tesla Semi successfully completed a 500 mile trip, fully loaded, on November 27th. With a full weight of 81,000 lbs, the 500 mile trip on a full charge is an impressive feat that bodes well for the production roll out, scheduled to begin on December 1st, 2022.
Tesla team just completed a 500 mile drive with a Tesla Semi weighing in at 81,000 lbs!
The date also coincides with scheduled delivery of the first production Semis to Pepsi. The timing is also interesting as Coca-Cola has recently begun its roll out of Renault trucks intended for last-mile deliveries in Belgium.
The Tesla Semi accomplishment is particularly impressive as the difficulty of designing a long-haul EV truck that is capable of 500 miles on a charge with a full load of cargo plus battery weight is off-the-charts difficult.
The 500 mile target is important since it corresponds to an 8 hour shift for drivers, after which a rest period would be mandatory. Not only is there an obvious climate benefit to fleets, and eventually the entire long haul industry, switching to EVs, the reduced costs per mile compared to diesel is significant.
Since an 80% charge is the recommended maximum for battery health and longevity, the Tesla Semi is expected to be able to run 400 miles (fully loaded) on a charge. The company has plans to provide solar-powered “Tesla Megacharger” charging stations that can reach 80% in 30 minutes.
Reducing the long haul diesel carbon footprint is a hugely important milestone
Diesel emissions are dirty if you try to breathe them, but they also emit 13% more CO2 compared to vehicles running on gasoline. As of 2020, transportation was responsible for 27% of GHG emissions, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Although replacing the entire US fleet of both passenger vehicles and trucks with EVs, charged ideally by sustainable energy sources is a huge, long term undertaking, the mere possibility that it can be accomplished is proven by this first step into sustainable commercial transportation.
Considering the economic benefits, the opposite of a so-called “green premium” the adoption of EVs for the long haul trucking industry seems very likely to proceed rapidly. And, regardless of your take on Twitter’s recent drama, that’s good news for all of us.
In a bizarre twist Elon tweets a “threat” to sell phones if Apple or Google ban Twitter from App stores
This article is the third in a series that was never intended to be one. The question of why, other than lack of impulse control and way too much money, Elon Musk would buy Twitter and take it over himself is still unknown. Our first two articles chronicled two possible motivations, each put forth by someone claiming to have inside information. This story is based on Elon Musk’s direct reply to a tweet.
With Twitter getting more dangerous daily, if you are an advertiser or stake your reputation on the content not being toxic (good luck!), and now speculation is mounting that Apple and/or Google might ban downloads for the app.
Elon Musk actually responded to these thoughts with a tweet saying, “…yes, if there there’s no other choice, I will make an alternative phone.”
I certainly hope it does not come to that, but, yes, if there is no other choice, I will make an alternative phone
Oddly, this idea has been around a long time as a sort of fake news thread – various YouTubers have a continuous output of made-up stories about Elon Musk, Tesla and SpaceX. One of the most circulated is one claiming that there is already a solar-powered, Starlink connected phone from Tesla, which some claim is called the “Model Pi”.
Spoofs that become real?
There are many, many reasons, beyond the fact that the whole thing was a spoof, that make it very unlikely that this could ever happen. It’s true that the various capabilities that would be needed to make an iPhone like product are generally within the scope of what Tesla already does.
Manufacturing, supply chains, software, all of these are within the general scope of what Tesla has done very well up until now. It is, on the other hand, more than a bit crazy to think that, literally overnight, a new product could overtake or even compete with the incredibly mature capabilities of the iPhone or a top Android unit.
The iPhone has been evolving for fifteen years and the resources that Apple brings to bear in improving it are not small. The spoof version invents a few bombshell features such as built in crypto mining (presumably where the name “Pi” comes from ), Solar charging, Starlink internet, and others to ad believability to the joke.
Even if these features were available (crypto less of a incentive now lol) it’s extremely unlikely that a large number of people would jump on the trend with so many other features delayed (Cybertruck, anyone?).
The genius is that people think that Elon Musk can make the impossible happen
Getting away from the negative, what Tesla has accomplished in changing perception of EVs from a dead on the shelf product, to one that has forced the entire automotive industry to adopt a similar path is amazing.
And, even at Twitter, it is possible that, after a lot of pain and tumult there could be a new Twitter that is no worse that the pre-Musk version. It could even be bigger and, eventually, not a cesspool.
One thing that is abundantly clear, however, is that the ongoing drama will continue and maybe even accelerate. Watch this space for the next chapter.
Imagine that a camera crew followed you around all day. Each time you expended energy through exercising (you might be an athlete) and your daily routine, running to work, climbing the stairs, kick boxing after work, or dancing in the evening, the crew shot a flattering moment of you in the middle of it all.
Or, better yet, say you are at the end of a long, active day. Ever since you’ve been “closing rings” on your apple watch, you know just what kinds of activities, and for how long, it will take to get them all closed. You watch, in your mind’s eye, an imaginary external montage of each step, each jump, each time your foot presses the pedal on your bike, all the various ways you express physicality and, this being a daydream (at night) you run the sequence in your mind over and over.
Each time you view the day’s movements and activities you choose just a snippet, a tiny captured slice, of every peak action revelation that, by the end of the long day, combine together to close your rings. By the time you’ve compressed it into the ultimate montage, it is not more than fifteen seconds of fleeting, flashing, images. And it is good.
Now you can doze off knowing that, tomorrow, you will live your life in motion, and, with your partner on your wrist, your rings will close again. And once more you will doze off watching your personal highlight reel of action, health and satisfaction.
Below are a few special Apple Watch owners who really did have that camera crew (graciously supplied by Apple, for commercial purposes) and we’ve attached the videos to prove it:
I’m a pretty competitive person. So it’s always a good feeling when I close my rings.
“Haley competes for the U.S. National Team as an elite open water swimmer. She uses the Pool Swim workout to track her yardage in the pool, where she closes her Exercise ring in training sessions every morning. Because she’s highly competitive, Haley tries to double her Move and Exercise rings every day.”
APPLE / HALEY A.
Haley’s swimming metrics are duration, active calories, laps, and distance.
The rings turn it into a game. Even if you’re not trying to hit a target, you close them just for fun.
“Jessica is the founder and lead instructor of Fat Buddha Yoga. She’s also a surfer and regularly DJs at clubs around the world. Being active in so many different ways can make it hard to track her fitness. But with Apple Watch, it’s simple. And whether she’s powering through a plank or dancing behind the turntables, everything counts”
APPLE / JESSICA S.
Jessica can see her progress with a lift of the wrist.
If you’re bored, just move. Jump around. Pick something up and throw it. Enjoy yourself.
“Cory believes in closing his rings every day, no matter where he is in the world. As a captain of the Track Mafia running club and fitness instructor, he’s led people in sprints up mall escalators, jogs through the Wembley Stadium parking lot, and marathon runs that stretch all the way from Santa Monica to Las Vegas. He also frequently cycles or runs to whatever’s next on his busy schedule.”
APPLE / CORY W-M.
Cory inspires people to go the distance as a Nike Run Club coach.
I believe in exercising the mind, the body, and the heart.
“In addition to the strenuous workout he gets on the podium, Jason likes to close his rings using the Workout app to track swimming, cycling, and weight lifting. When it comes to staying mentally fit, reminders from the Breathe app nudge Jason during his busy day, helping him to recenter.”
APPLE / JASON L.
The Heart Rate app lets Jason quickly check his pulse during performance breaks.
Apple Watch helps me be a better instructor. It also shows me how to live a healthier life.
“Natsumi is a yoga instructor and model living in Tokyo. She uses the Yoga workout to close her Exercise ring while she’s teaching a class. On occasion, Natsumi likes to surprise her students by taking them on hiking expeditions, where the Hiking workout tracks her distance and calorie burn. If Natsumi’s rings aren’t closed by the afternoon, she walks to her modeling gigs.”
APPLE / NATSUMI Y.
Natsumi uses the Breathe watch face to begin yoga classes.
I love to work out with Apple Watch. It doesn’t have stuff that gets in the way. It just has what I need.
Couch potato turned avid marathon runner, cyclist, and swimmer, Atilla credits his transformation to Apple Watch. To close his rings, he makes sure to schedule two workouts every day. On his 12-mile runs, Atilla streams Apple Music for motivation. If he hasn’t closed his rings (which he admits being addicted to), an Outdoor Cycle or Open Water Swim workout gets the job done in the evening.
APPLE / ATILLA K.
Rolling Pace lets Atilla see a mile split at any point on his run.
We sometimes forget we are flesh and bone. Apple Watch comes in handy keeping you aware of that fact.
“At 65, Eric prides himself on being in great shape. He closes his rings five times a week, walking everywhere throughout his city to visit clients, friends, and neighborhood shops. Along the way, Eric loves to watch his rings close and see the miles, calories, and flights of stairs stack up in the Outdoor Walk workout and the Activity app. Eric finds himself moving just as much on the weekends, dancing, playing volleyball, and riding his bike.”
APPLE / ERIC G.
Eric uses turn-by-turn directions in the Maps app to find his way around the city.
I love the fact that I have all my information on my wrist. And that I don’t have to carry my phone.
“As a busy student and point guard on her college basketball team, Yocelin doesn’t know what it means to sit still. She closes her rings virtually every day, running and lifting weights to stay in competitive shape. When she’s not on the court or in the classroom, Yocelin racks up even more Move calories and Exercise minutes taking care of her three younger brothers. If it weren’t for bedtime reminders from her Apple Watch, she might never rest.”
APPLE / YOCELIN S.
Yocelin stays motivated during workouts and before each game using AirPods to listen to her favorite songs.
Ok. So it will be what you make of it. There’s not going to be a seamless leap from a heavy web2 monstrosity like what Twitter has become to a clean alternative overnight.
It makes sense, though. A platform that’s built to monetize your life, and does so on a massive scale, can’t be replaced easily by an entirely different beast.
Mastodon is not based on blockchain, for a social platform that is blockchain based, check out Lens Protocol, but does have an open source, ad-free structure that is controlled by users. It is also a microblogging network based on a UX that somewhat resembles Twitter.
As a “Federated” network system, Mastodon has various servers, each of which run by users, and differentiated, for the most part, by affinity.
Basically, rather than having a centralized corporate entity controlling and monetizing your account and data, you trust a peer who has set up a server. You can choose and join a group (server) based on the theme, rules and configuration of that server / moderator. In some cases you will need to be invited or prove worthiness, but such stipulations are set by the moderator and group.
Are we, ex-Twits, sophisticated enough to take on digital self-determination?
The challenge lies in the trade off that is built into the systems, one vs. the other. On a highly commercialized, slick, UX optimized platform like twitter there are lots of addictive, albeit shallow, reasons to participate. And the downsides can be seen everywhere – massive bot harassment, constant DMs from unwanted scammers, hate and ugliness, you get the picture.
A user controlled, open source platform, on the other hand, requires more real engagement from everyone for it to work. This is a double-edged sword – all that extra effort can seem overwhelming, but the benefits, particularly longer term can be magical.
Imagine a place where you are free to communicate with others that share your interests, and those that may not, but without an algorithm to force you to see whatever it wants you to see, or to shadow-block you from being seen, only because you didn’t pay or play its preferred game.
Losing the algorithm that serves the centralized commercial platform’s agenda is, ultimately, the only way forward, but not an easy place to get to.
In the end it is a question of realizing the potential of the internet (web2, 3 or 4) for deeper and more effective communication, not just to create a hellscape of fluff and vitriol that benefits a Zuckerberg and now, potentially, Elon Musk.
By now the shortcomings of Facebook (Meta), Twitter and the various Google services are glaringly obvious and, for the most part, agreed on nearly as much as global warming. However, just like the solutions to that other soon-to-be hellscape, the possibility of millions or even billions of people (in the case of Facebook) spontaneously migrating to a new platform or platforms is slim.
Ultimately, it will take a change in the people that comprise the network itself, not a top down makeover or feature-set rollout.
That is the most interesting point that can be gleaned from the current Mastodon moment; those that have pre-migrated before the current Twitter melt-down era seem to be acutely aware of the challenges, but also of the potential benefits, of growing into the new experiences that are only available there.
This underscores the potential irony of the current Twitter meltdown, intentional or not. Is Elon Musk doing the world a favor by pushing many of the best and brightest communicators out of the nest at the precise moment that it might be possible for another platform to gain a foothold?
Or will this be more akin to the moment that Clubhouse had which was seemingly diluted and washed away by copycat offerings (like the audio services Twitter added) and demoted to near irrelevance?
As has been the case in the past, even with the initial adoption of Facebook and Twitter by the masses, it is user sophistication and need that drives huge new platforms and activities.
Whenever a new platform for online communication is able to meet the moment and the new needs of a critical mass of users, that will be the place and time for the past to fade and something, hopefully better, to emerge.
And, perhaps, learning how to better interact with one-another online, even at the cost of taking more responsibility for learning and co-managing the platform itself, will begin with Mastodon and the Twitter devolution phase.
The following excerpt from TheMarkup.Org, from an interview by Julia Angwin of Adam Davidson gives a bit of a view into what some might find worthwhile at Mastodon:
Angwin: What would you say your biggest takeaway from this experience has been so far?
Davidson: I would say the screaming headline for me is, “Wow, this was awesome. This was amazing.” The Mastodon community was amazing. The journalism community was amazing. It’s really one of the best professional experiences of my life. I just love it.
What I’m finding most satisfying about Mastodon, and I’m seeing a lot of other journalists feel this, is that it actually forces you to ask and confront some of these questions and to make active choices. Even if Mastodon were to remain Twitter’s very tiny stepbrother, I would still like to be part of a Mastodon journalist community because I think we got lazy as a field, and we let Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey, and, god help us, Elon Musk and their staff decide all these major journalistic questions. I don’t know for how many people that’s a good siren call to join Mastodon, but for me that’s been pretty exciting.
Straight from a follower named “Spam Bot” the real reason…
Yesterday we published a story featuring a theory floated by a lady who, apparently, worked for Tesla for a decade, who believes that Elon is a “humanist” and wants to save the planet and needs Twitter to help him better communicate his ideas and solutions. No, not reinstating Trump, but she claimed it was all about global warming.
Not long after that article hit the airwaves, “Spam Bot”, reacted and posted a message (see photo below) where he (or she? or they?) outlined what’s really goin’ on:
Here’s the posted text in its entirety:
“Elon’s plan will soon be clear. Setting aside the fact the guy is an Alien (he literally admitted it) the ultimate plan is frightening. Twitter is key.
He needed to get rid of the engineers to rewrite the app.
After the re-engineering Twitter will be re-coded to subliminally force everyone to either buy a Tesla, Cybertruck or generate an uncontrollable urge to get into a Boring company pod.
Then, using the vast Starlink constellation a signal will be sent and all the Teslas, trucks and Boring pods will suddenly lock trapping the passengers inside.
The controls will freeze and they will autonomously head to the nearest Starbase launch site where flamethrower bearing a highly advanced version of the recently previewed ‘Musk clone robots will force NeuraLink implants deep into each persons cerebral cortex and then send them, like lame zombie sheep into waiting Starships for the journey to Mars.
Controlling everyone via NeuraLink, humanity will quickly devolve into a slave species, serving the Mars overlords for all of eternity. (Except for brunette Goth virgins. Virgins will be celebrated as honored guests and taken to a great feast within the Martian temple.
Afterwards they will be stripped naked, tied up and boiled alive to be consumed by the festive Martians).
Earth will be plundered for its remaining natural resources and die off becoming just another sphere of lifeless space rock eventually breaking apart into smaller and smaller pieces until turning to dust, scattering, and finally leaving the galaxy to drift into the abyss. It’s all so clear – you just need to put the pieces together.”
If anyone is offended (or frightened ) by that, apologies on behalf of Lynxotic. As a writer it is important to always have something to say. This, text, this outpouring of strung together amalgamation of brand names and alien motivations has rendered this scribe… almost speechless…
To unpack this, in spite of being dumbfounded, the first thing that comes to mind is that “Spam Bot” gives Elon too much credit. Sure, he has admitted to being an alien, yes he is the wealthiest person on the planet, sure, his companies do all seem to fit together in a neat little puzzle that could enable exactly such a scenario…. But, no, it is not likely (hahaha) that this scenario is true, at least not all of it.
Actually, the idea that it was Elon’s intention all along to fire nearly all of Twitter and the mass exodus was what he wanted all along, does kind of make sense. If he really does want to rebuild it from the ground up, what better way to get rid of nearly all the employees than to find a clever (?) way to get everyone to quit (without looking really bad for firing everyone just before the holidays) .
And it will be quite entertaining to see how this plays out. For example, as we note in a new article coming today, Mastodon is growing fast and there’s an interesting possibility that a migration en mass over there could be a major upgrade.
