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Category: Culture
January 19, 2024
Culture

Award-Winning Novelist Admits to Using ChatGPT.

Rie Kudan, the 2023 winner of Japan’s prestigious Akutagawa Prize, revealed in her acceptance speech on Wednesday that she used artificial intelligence (AI), including ChatGPT, to write parts of her award-winning novel.

The novelist admitted that she “made active use of generative AI like ChatGPT in writing this book” and that “about five percent of the book quoted verbatim the sentences generated by AI.” Kudan’s novel, The Tokyo Tower of Sympathy, was hailed as “flawless” by one of the judges and is set in a future where AI is integral to human existence.

The revelation comes amidst an intensifying debate on using advanced AI technologies in the art and literary worlds. The 2023 Sony World Photography Awards winner, German artist Boris Eldagsen, refused to accept his prize and revealed his “photo” was an AI-generated fake. Eldagsen said he submitted the AI-generated fake to increase debate about the issue. The winner of the 2022 Colorado State Fair prize for digital art was also revealed to be an AI-generated.

AI and its implications for the future of society are becoming an increasingly important issue, often dominating debate in the worlds of politics, economics, and business. IBM CEO Arvind Krishna told attendees at the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos that those who don’t embrace AI will “find that you may not have a job,” while Donald Trump warned recently that AI poses a “very dangerous” threat to the United States.

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Rie Kudan, the 2023 winner of Japan's prestigious Akutagawa Prize, revealed in her acceptance speech on Wednesday that she used artificial intelligence (AI), including ChatGPT, to write parts of her award-winning novel. show more
January 17, 2024
Crime
Culture

‘Rust’ Movie Set Armorer Offered Leniency for Explanation of Live Rounds in Alec Baldwin Gun.

The armorer at the center of the “Rust” film shooting case, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was reportedly sent an ultimatum via email by special prosecutor Kari Morrissey in September, offering her leniency if she disclosed how live rounds made it on to the set — and promising additional felony charges if she didn’t.

“I feel very strongly [Gutierrez-Reed] has some notion of how the live rounds came on set,” Morrissey wrote in an email published by Variety. “I certainly respect her right not to come forward with that information and to stay silent, however if she were to come forward and answer some of these questions that plague the victims in this case that would go a long way toward getting her a favorable resolution,” Morrissey’s email continued. “If she chooses not to, while I respect her decision, I will proceed with the additional felony charges we spoke of.”

Gutierrez-Reed did not take that prosecutor’s “deal.” Her lawyer, Jason Bowles, took the letter as a threat to “either falsely confess to bringing the live rounds on set, or face additional charges,” reports Variety. In response, Morrissey kept her word and leveled more charges against Gutierrez-Reed, including a 4th-degree felony charge for allegedly carrying a gun into a liquor store.

Gutierrez-Reed pleaded not guilty to the new charges. Her trial is expected to begin in February. Gutierrez-Reed was in charge of the weapons on set during the filming of “Rust.” On October 21, 2021, Alec Baldwin, star of the film, discharged his “prop” firearm, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.

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The armorer at the center of the "Rust" film shooting case, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was reportedly sent an ultimatum via email by special prosecutor Kari Morrissey in September, offering her leniency if she disclosed how live rounds made it on to the set — and promising additional felony charges if she didn't. show more
January 4, 2024
Crime
Culture

A Hunter Biden Documentary is Being Produced by His So-Called ‘Sugar Brother’.

Hollywood lawyer Kevin Morris, also known as Hunter Biden’s ‘sugar brother’, is reportedly working on a documentary about the president’s son. Morris got the bizarre nickname after donating millions to Biden, including a reported $2.8 million payment to cover his tax bill in an attempt to placate prosecutors. According to an IRS whistleblower, Biden received around $4.9 million from Morris in 2020, which was reportedly spent on housing, legal fees, car payments, and advisory fees. The loan reportedly carries interest and is to be repaid in 2025.

The documentary aims to present President Biden’s son as much more than the corrupt, drug- and prostitute-using mess portrayed in tabloid headlines. The narrative will reportedly focus on his artistic work, family life, and his struggle to maintain sobriety amidst serious criminal investigations.

Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Morris insists the infamous Hunter Biden laptop, the discovery of which precipitated Hunter’s current legal woes, was a ploy by a legally blind computer repairman to damage Biden and bolster former President Donald Trump’s campaign. Morris’s dealings with Hunter Biden were highlighted after IRS Agent Joseph Ziegler’s documentation revealing Morris’s monetary gifts to Biden was presented to the House Ways & Means Committee amidst Hunter’s tax evasion charges.

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Hollywood lawyer Kevin Morris, also known as Hunter Biden's 'sugar brother', is reportedly working on a documentary about the president's son. Morris got the bizarre nickname after donating millions to Biden, including a reported $2.8 million payment to cover his tax bill in an attempt to placate prosecutors. According to an IRS whistleblower, Biden received around $4.9 million from Morris in 2020, which was reportedly spent on housing, legal fees, car payments, and advisory fees. The loan reportedly carries interest and is to be repaid in 2025. show more
January 4, 2024
William Upton
Culture

Fox Co-Founder Says He Wishes Trump Died in 2023.

Fox News co-founder Barry Diller revealed the 2023 prediction he got wrong was “[t]hat Trump would be figuratively or more hopefully dead.” Diller served as chairman and CEO of Fox from October of 1984 to April of 1992. He now serves as the chairman of the IAC holding company and the Expedia Group.

The Democrat media and business mogul has been a long critic of former President Donald Trump. Throughout the years, Diller has referred to Trump as a “joke” and “evil.” In a 2018 interview with fellow liberal Maureen Dowd, Diller said, “I would so love it if he were being blackmailed by Putin.” He added: “That would make me very happy. This was a man of bad character from the moment he entered adulthood, if not before. Pure, bad character. Ugh, Trump.”

One of Diller’s key points of contention with Trump’s presidency was immigration policy. In 2017, Diller claimed Trump’s efforts to end the globalist mass immigration agenda was causing American workers to leave the country for places like Germany – though this was not born out by emigration data.

Diller isn’t the only former Fox News executive to have a penchant for attacking former President Trump. Rupert Murdoch has made it clear he is no fan of the real-estate mogul turned populist politician. Murdoch went so far as to back – for a time – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s bid against Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

Along with Diller’s incorrect 2023 prediction, the Guardian’s U.S. editor-in-chief Betsy Reed laments American voters aren’t as fearful of Trump as she is. “I didn’t anticipate that Trump would be winning, no one would seem to have any answers, while many of those most endangered by a Trump victory don’t seem to particularly care,” Reed said of her 2023 political prediction. Reed has been a long-time figure among left-wing media outlets, having worked at The Intercept and The Nation – a pro-Stalin political magazine.

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Fox News co-founder Barry Diller revealed the 2023 prediction he got wrong was "[t]hat Trump would be figuratively or more hopefully dead." Diller served as chairman and CEO of Fox from October of 1984 to April of 1992. He now serves as the chairman of the IAC holding company and the Expedia Group. show more
January 4, 2024
Culture

Elvis Presley is Coming Back. As a Hologram.

An immersive Elvis Presley concert, titled ‘Elvis Evolution,’ is set to premiere in London in November 2024, featuring a life-sized holographic projection of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Layered Reality, a British immersive entertainment company, will use cutting-edge AI and vast archives of Presley’s photographs and home-video footage to create the digital representation. In cooperation with Authentic Brands Group, the owners of the Elvis Presley estate, the show aims to allow audiences to step into Presley’s world, and will tour in Las Vegas, Tokyo, and Berlin following its London premiere.

Andrew McGuinness, founder and CEO of Layered Reality, states that the incentive behind this project stems from a continued global admiration of Presley and the desire for interactive experiences. McGuinness expects the show to be a “bucket-list item for Elvis fans and admirers around the world,” with performance and presentation elements designed to celebrate Presley’s extraordinary musical legacy.

The immersive experience will further extend to an after-party Elvis-themed bar and restaurant on-site at the central London location. The venue promises live music, DJ sets, and performances for attendees post-show. This upcoming show follows a trend set by ‘Abba Voyage’ and rock band ‘Kiss,’ both of which have leveraged AI and holographic technology for their performances.

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An immersive Elvis Presley concert, titled 'Elvis Evolution,' is set to premiere in London in November 2024, featuring a life-sized holographic projection of the King of Rock 'n' Roll. Layered Reality, a British immersive entertainment company, will use cutting-edge AI and vast archives of Presley’s photographs and home-video footage to create the digital representation. In cooperation with Authentic Brands Group, the owners of the Elvis Presley estate, the show aims to allow audiences to step into Presley's world, and will tour in Las Vegas, Tokyo, and Berlin following its London premiere. show more
December 28, 2023
Jack Montgomery
Culture

Jacksonville Pulls Down Confederate Women Statue in DeSantis’s Florida.

A 98-year-old Tribute to the Women of the Southern Confederacy statue has been pulled from its pedestal in Jacksonville, Florida, with Democrat Mayor Donna Deegan its removal “signal[s] a belief in our shared humanity”.

“Symbols matter. They tell the world what we stand for and what we aspire to be,” Deegan said, claiming the statue’s removal was “not in any way an attempt to erase history but to show that we’ve learned from it.”

The memorial was removed without reference to the City Council, which rejected a request for $1.3 million to pay for its removal in 2021.

Deegan convinced Jacksonville’s Office of General Counsel she had the authority to remove the statue on her own, after the 904WARD nonprofit said they would cover the removal costs with $187,000 bill with money provided by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund and other donors.

Florida Rep. Dean Black described the statue’s removal, undertaken “during the holidays, without consultation of city leaders or a vote by the council,” as an example of “woke Democrats” being obsessed with “tearing down history.”

Florida Governor and presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis, who has presented himself as an anti-woke crusader, has not intervened.

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A 98-year-old Tribute to the Women of the Southern Confederacy statue has been pulled from its pedestal in Jacksonville, Florida, with Democrat Mayor Donna Deegan its removal "signal[s] a belief in our shared humanity". show more
December 21, 2023
Culture
News
Politics

New York Establishes Commission for Slavery Reparations.

New York is establishing a commission to come up with an estimate for slavery reparations. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the bill creating the commission into law on Tuesday.

“In New York, we like to think we’re on the right side of this. Slavery was a product of the South, the Confederacy,” said Hochul, a Democrat. “What is hard to embrace is the fact that our state also flourished from that slavery. It’s not a beautiful story, but indeed it is the truth.”

New York, which abolished slavery in 1827, follows California, which entered the U.S. as a free state, in establishing its slavery task force.

State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt spoke out against the commission, noting the “reparations of slavery were paid with the blood and lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans who fought to end slavery during the Civil War.”

“A divisive commission to consider reparations in unworkable,” he argued, predicting an “astronomical cost” for a policy that “will only further divide our state.”

New York City is already facing enormous pressure on its budget due to the ongoing migrant crisis, with the Big Apple playing host to tens of thousands of migrants and Mayor Eric Adams predicting the influx will “destroy” the Big Apple if it continues.

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New York is establishing a commission to come up with an estimate for slavery reparations. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the bill creating the commission into law on Tuesday. show more
December 21, 2023
Culture
News

Minnesota Picks New, Somalia-Style State Flag After Old One Deemed ‘Offensive’ to Native Americans.

A Minnesota commission set up to redesign the state’s flag has unveiled its new design. The replacement flag is minimalistic, featuring a plain white star against a dark blue stripe and a light blue stripe. Some have compared it to the Somali flags for the Puntland and Jubaland regions, particularly as Minnesota is home to the largest community of Somalis in the United States, including Rep. Ilhan Omar.

“Minnesota’s new flag captures the imagination while standing apart from all other state flags with its unique design that depicts the shape of our state. Minnesotans have so much to be proud of from the beauty of our land, to our rivers and lakes, to our recognition as the North Star State – all of which are reflected in this flag,” claimed Secretary of State Steve Simon, a Democrat.

“I hope Minnesotans will find commonality in this flag and unite around it for generations to come,” he added.

Minnesota’s current state flag, which is well over a hundred years old, is far more intricate, featuring the full state seal on a blue background. The state seal depicts a white farmer plowing a field, with a rifle propped against a tree stump nearby and a Native American riding on horseback in the background.

Deemed offensive by woke activists and politicians, the commission to replace the flag took four months and spent $35,000 sifting through thousands of possible replacements.

Pushback from the two Republicans on the commission, who did not have the power to vote on the redesign, was mealy-mouthed.

“I’m not saying the flag that was chosen is a bad flag. What I’m saying is this process should have taken a lot longer,” said Rep. Bjorn Olson, (R-Fairmont). “We should have taken more public testimony. We should have heard from more Minnesotans. And on top of that, I hope that in the commission’s report we will include… that we advise the state Legislature to put this to a vote of the people.”

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A Minnesota commission set up to redesign the state's flag has unveiled its new design. The replacement flag is minimalistic, featuring a plain white star against a dark blue stripe and a light blue stripe. Some have compared it to the Somali flags for the Puntland and Jubaland regions, particularly as Minnesota is home to the largest community of Somalis in the United States, including Rep. Ilhan Omar. show more
December 20, 2023
Jack Montgomery
Culture
News

Toppling of Arlington Confederate Memorial Resumes After Court Ruling.

The toppling of the Confederate Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) resumed on Wednesday, after an attempt to halt its dismantling in the courts failed.

Federal judge Rossie D. Alston Jr rejected a bid by the Defend Arlington group to stop the desecration of the memorial, which doubles as the grave of its Jewish designer, Moses Ezekiel.

“I hope you would understand that the illustrations on that memorial may be difficult and hurtful to some people,” Alston said, declaring: “We should not be celebrating slavery – that’s what some people believe.”

The memorial was designed in 1914, long after the abolition of slavery, and was designed to represent peace and reconciliation between North and South, while providing the dwindling number of Confederate veterans and their families with a place to honor their fallen comrades and relatives.

The Biden regime set its sights on toppling the memorial early on, with a so-called Naming Commission established to purge various historic monuments branding it “problematic from top to bottom”.

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The toppling of the Confederate Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) resumed on Wednesday, after an attempt to halt its dismantling in the courts failed. show more
Christmas
December 19, 2023
Culture

On This Day: 1843 Debut of ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens.

On this day 180 years ago, Charles Dickens’s classic Christmas story A Christmas Carol was published. Dickens, who had already achieved critical acclaim following the release of works including Oliver Twist and The Pickwick Papers, penned the story in a few short weeks for publication before Christmas 1843.

The story and its message have withstood the test of time, becoming a permanent fixture of the festive season. Ebenezer Scrooge, the book’s rich, miserly main character, stands as a timeless symbol of redemption. Despising Christmas and the joy it brings, Scrooge’s transformation from a man deriving pleasure only from his wealth to one filled with goodwill still resonates.

Characters and phrases from the book have remained relevant for well over a hundred years. The term ‘Scrooge’, for instance, is still a byword for a miser, while the phrase ‘Bah, humbug’ remains an expression of grumpy disdain.

The National Endowment for the Arts has described it as “a holiday staple for nearly two centuries,” inspiring a plethora of adaptations. Notable among these are the 1951 black-and-white movie featuring Alistair Sims as Scrooge, and the non-traditional retelling in The Muppet Christmas Carol.

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On this day 180 years ago, Charles Dickens's classic Christmas story A Christmas Carol was published. Dickens, who had already achieved critical acclaim following the release of works including Oliver Twist and The Pickwick Papers, penned the story in a few short weeks for publication before Christmas 1843.

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