May 5th • 3h 5m
Shownotes
Every new episode of No Agenda is accompanied by a comprehensive list of shownotes curated by Adam while preparing for the show. Clips played by the hosts during the show can also be found here.
Climate Change
Big Pharma
Big Tech AI & Socials
AI Power Consumption BOTG
AI power consumption is a completely artificial issue. Most AI today has code written in CUDA. CUDA exclusively runs on Nvidia GPUs. Had people just went with the open standard OpenCL, they could be running these datacenters on AMD hardware, which would save billions of dollars. But they won't. Because Nvidia pays companies to use CUDA and publishes fake stats on their power consumption. It's a shame.
Boeing vs Airbus
Lockheed Martin BOTG
ITM Adam!
Boots on the ground here from Lockheed Martin…
So back to my report…
We from time to time get walkthroughs by military brass. Yesterday was what I thought would be the same as usual. The Major’s talk started as usual; “We are safe because of what you build (Blackhawks) yada yada yada”. It quickly took a serious turn. He went on to say that not only do they expect on time deliveries to asking for them to be delivered early. He said that for the first time in his career, upper command was not saying the usual “threat of global conflict” existed. Now they are saying “it is going to happen soon”. Wha-wha-what?? He went on to say that for the first time, the USA isn’t the guaranteed victor. Hence the need for faster deliveries. After he was done with his talk, management asked if anyone had any questions. I couldn’t let him down (I kind of have a reputation for asking uncomfortable questions). I raised my hand 🖐️ and asked why our victory was being questioned. He rambled about rising powers, destabilized Middle East and all that. So I looked him in the eye and simply said, “Who”. He returned my gaze, not looking for an Emmy here but it was quite intense. He simply said “China”. I thanked him for saying it out loud. After it was over, he approached me and thanked me for the question. He said he isn’t allowed say China but he could answer the question. Interesting info and I thought it would interest you. Ties in with the latest Ukraine cash dump. We have billions to spend now.
4 MORE YEARS!! (pause)
Maybe I can buy you that coffee when we go back down to pull the trigger on our land. Java Ranch ended up being our coffee spot mostly because I could sit on their benches with the girls while the missus grabbed our coffees.
Thanks for all you do!
MIC - Israel etc
Mike Gallagher's Next move after voting for MIC
Controlled Opportunists
Ukraine vs Russia
Ukraine central bank introduces largest wartime currency liberalisation measures | Reuters
Under the new regulations, posted on social media, currency restrictions are to be lifted on imports of goods and services, restrictions on repayments of newly contracted external loans are eased, and restrictions on transferring foreign currency from representative offices to parent companies are eased.
The provisions also allow for business to repatriate "new" dividends, a measure to take effect on May 13.
A central bank statement said the measures were taken with due consideration for the necessary prerequisites.
"Careful analysis confirms that the changes should not create additional risks for macro-financial stability and stability of the foreign exchange market," it said.
The changes, it said, had already been taken into account in updated macroeconomic forecasts, including maintaining international reserves close to the current level of $43 billion to $44 billion.
Central bank governor Andriy Pyshnyi, writing on Facebook, described the moves as a "very tangible step" that would provide business with "opportunities to enter new markets or bring in investments".
"This step, along with other measures...should allow Ukrainian business to 'breathe to its full potential' and promote the involvement of private capital in the recovery of the economy," he wrote.
Ukraine's economy, bolstered by financial aid from its Western partners, posted 5.3% growth last year and is forecast to expand by 3% this year.
STORIES
Moderna Posts $1.2 Billion Loss as Demand For COVID Jab Collapses, Promises Investors 'Next-Generation' Vaccine to Tackle New Strains | The Gateway Pundit | by Ben Kew
Sun, 05 May 2024 13:20
Credit: Vigilant NewsThe American drug company Moderna has posted a first-quarter loss of $1.2 billion after demand for their dodgy COVID-19 vaccine collapsed.
Sales of the company's COVID-19 vaccine were a mere $167 million over the first quarter of 2024, compared with $2.8 billion over the same period last year.
The company said in its earnings report:
This decline aligns with the anticipated transition to a seasonal COVID-19 vaccine market. In the prior year period, the company recognized revenue primarily from delivered doses deferred from 2022.
In the U.S., the company is reaffirming its 2024 product sales outlook as it enters the second year of the commercial endemic COVID market. Moderna's focus is on working with public health officials, health care providers and pharmacies to increase vaccination coverage rates to reduce the substantial burden of COVID-19.
Yet according to The Epoch Times, the company sought to reassure investors with the promise of a ''next-generation'' COVID vaccine that will allegedly help combat different strains of the virus.
The outlet reported:
Moderna touted the results of Phase 3 clinical trials of its ''next-generation'' COVID-19 vaccine (mRNA-1283), boasting higher immune response against both new and original virus strains than its original formula. Clinical trials are also underway on a combination one-shot vaccine against the flu and COVID-19, which Moderna has dubbed mRNA-1083. Data from the study are expected at some point in 2024.
The drugmaker also reaffirmed that it expects to receive approval from regulators for its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine in time for it to be included in this fall's vaccine campaign in the United States. The company has expressed hope that its experimental shots'--including for RSV, flu, and cancer'--will compensate for dwindling COVID-19 vaccine revenue.
Modern is far from alone in feeling the pinch. The German pharmaceutical giant Pfizer also saw its profits decline 40 percent compared with the first quarter of 2023, with the company similarly blaming the fall in demand for COVID vaccines on their disappointing results.
Ben Kew is a writer and editor. Originally from the UK, he moved to the U.S. to cover Congress for Breitbart News and has since gone on to editorial roles at Human Events, Townhall Media, and Americano Media. He has also written for The Epoch Times, The Western Journal, and The Spectator.
You can email Ben Kew here, and read more of Ben Kew's articles here.
Bird flu: 'Strong evidence' suggests virus has passed from mammals to humans for first time | Science & Tech News | Sky News
Sat, 04 May 2024 17:40
Scientists fear bird flu has spread from mammals to humans for the first time, marking another step in the evolution of the deadly virus.
New analysis concludes there is "strong evidence" that a Texas farm worker who tested positive for the H5N1 virus caught it from sick dairy cattle.
Although there have been other people infected with the virus in recent years - including some who have died - they all acquired it from birds.
There is growing concern about the failure of American authorities to contain the spread of the virus.
So far 36 herds in nine states have tested positive. But testing of milk has suggested the virus has spread far more widely.
The longer it spreads unchecked in a domesticated mammal, the greater the chance of it becoming adapted to a new species - and being passed on to humans who have close contact.
According to the report in The New England Journal of Medicine, the unidentified man's symptoms were mild. He developed the eye infection conjunctivitis but had no fever and no trouble breathing. His lungs were also clear.
He and the people he lived with were given antiviral drugs as a precaution. Nobody else became ill.
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3:30 How does bird flu spread?The team, which included researchers from the Centres for Disease Control, said: "Given the infected human was a dairy farm worker with reported exposure to sick, presumably infected cows in Texas and without reported exposure to other mammals or birds, we believe the genetic and epidemiological data are strong evidence of infection of the human following exposure to presumably virus-infected cows."
Some mammals infected
The highly pathogenic strain of H5N1 has been spread worldwide by wild birds.
At first it was largely poultry that were infected, with millions culled to prevent further spread.
But there have been some mammals infected, including small numbers of foxes, seals and dolphins in the UK.
There have also been suspicions that the virus has spread between farmed mink and within sealion colonies.
But there was surprise when it cropped up in the US in dairy cows, who were suffering from a sharp reduction in milk production.
Virus been spreading for months
Evidence suggests the virus has been spreading undetected since the start of the year. Some cows are asymptomatic.
More from Sky News:First wild animal seen using plant as medicineFace of 75,000-year-old Neanderthal woman reconstructed
Image: Bird flu has been found in seals in the US and UK. Pic: AP The scientists believe the man could have been infected either by an airborne virus in the milking parlour landing in his eyes, or by a virus on his hands or gloves being transferred to his eyes.
Although the farm worker only had a mild infection, H5N1 can be severe - and even fatal - for humans.
According to the World Health Organisation, 888 people have been infected worldwide between 2003 and the end of March this year, with 463 deaths.
Beef and dairy products safe
US authorities have detected viral fragments - but not active virus - in pasteurised milk. They say dairy products and beef are safe.
Follow Sky News on WhatsAppKeep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Tap here In the UK, a risk assessment by government scientists has concluded the threat of a similar outbreak in dairy herds is very small.
They say animals are kept in different conditions, and there is little chance of the cow flu being carried by wild birds across the Atlantic.
A Summary of Rain Enhancement (Cloud Seeding) Operations in Texas
Sat, 04 May 2024 17:28
The history of Texans using cloud seeding to lessen the impact of periodic, often severe, droughts is lengthy and fascinating. Numerous ''rainmaking'' efforts sprouted during the epic drought of the 1950s, and some continued into the 1960s, giving impetus to the Texas Legislature to adopt a law, in 1967, governing the use of weather modification technologies. In ensuing years, both the State and federal governments provided funds for both cloud seeding research and assessing the impact of commercial weather modification projects.
With more substantive evidence that cloud seeding could invigorate convective clouds'--promoting their growth and capacity to produce rainwater'--a coordinated, State-funded program began in earnest in the latter half of the 1990s. Today, with drought a pending, if not ever-present, threat to the economy and well-being of Texans, rain enhancement projects flourish within large areas of Northwest, West, and South Texas. In fact, the seven cloud seeding projects today cover about 31 million acres (or about one-sixth of the land area of the state). When a severe drought was a greater threat at the end of the previous century, as many as 51 million acres were included in cloud seeding ''target'' areas in the state.
Texas' present-day cloud seeding efforts are much more than well-considered responses to drought, however. They are also concerted efforts, using the latest technological tools and understanding, to replenish fresh-water supplies in aquifers and reservoirs as well as to help meet the growing needs of agriculture, industry, and municipalities for fresh water. Political subdivisions like water conservation districts and county commissions have embraced the technology of rain enhancement as one element of a long-term, water-management strategy designed to ensure a growing population has enough water to meet its future needs.
Each of the cloud seeding projects uses specially-equipped aircraft designed to place seeding materials (in the form of pyrotechnic devices, or flares, containing silver iodide and other compounds) into convective towers (turrets of growing thunderstorms) to induce them to expand and process more atmospheric water. The seeding is achieved by burning flares either mounted on the wings of single and twin-engine aircraft or held in racks, and dropped (ejected), from the underside of the aircraft fuselage. Pilots in the aircraft are directed to convective clouds believed by the meteorologist to be treatable with the seeding agent. Timing and targeting are the two critical factors in successful seeding of young thunderstorms. The concerted efforts of both pilot(s) and meteorologist are designed to give the growing cloud a ''nudge'' to enable it to be more efficient in the way it uses available cloud droplets to grow raindrops.
Projects in TexasAs each of the rain enhancement projects became established in recent years, State matching funds were allocated to the sponsoring groups to enable them to procure needed hardware such as specially-equipped aircraft and ground-based radar systems. Each project initially constructed its program, either leasing or purchasing aircraft, at a cost of 8 to 9 cents per acre, with the State assuming up to 4.5 cents of that cost. Eventually, the State share of the cost declined, such that today no residual State funds are used to sustain these programs. From the time the State began paying in part for the programs (1997) until State funds were exhausted (2004), the State contributed about $11.7 million. An additional $1.5 million in State funds was spent during that time to assess the projects' performance.
No State funds are available for the current biennium (which began on September 1, 2022) for any cloud seeding operations in Texas. Rain enhancement projects this year are being funded exclusively by underground water conservation districts and other local political subdivisions like county commissions and aquifer authorities.
Each year an independent analyst at Texas Tech University uses Doppler weather radar data from the National Weather Service network to assess the impact of these rain-enhancement projects on seasonal rainfall within the projects' target areas. The analysis of cloud-seeding operations conducted by these projects in 2019 showed that, on average, individual seeded thunderstorms lived 22 minutes longer (or 41 percent) than untreated storms in the vicinity and covered some 44 percent more area than the unseeded ones. Rain output from seeded storms, on average, was 24 percent more than that from nearby untreated storms. The total number (101 in all) of single, isolated thunderstorms that were seeded produced an estimated 101,031 acre-feet above and beyond what could have been expected without intervention. More complex thunderstorm clusters that were seeded were observed, by radar, to have yielded an estimated 956,657 additional acre-feet of rainwater. The cost to produce this additional rainwater was estimated at less than $11 an acre-foot.
The following is a description, by project, of rain enhancement operations being conducted during 2022 in Texas.
West Texas Weather Modification Association (WTWMA)This project, based in San Angelo, is now in its 27th consecutive year of operation. Its target is the third largest in the state---some 6.4 million acres in west central Texas between Midland and San Angelo. The WTWMA employs a full-time meteorologist and pilots using Doppler weather radar data produced by the National Weather Service. The meteorologist is based at Mathis Field, while aircraft are located at the San Angelo airport as well as several other locations within the target area.
The project has a dual purpose: Permits are held by the WTWMA for both rain enhancement and hail suppression operations. The way in which the Association obtained its aircraft and radar, and hired its permanent staff, in 1997-98, to become self-contained as a project served as a prototype for other rain enhancement programs that materialized in Texas in subsequent years. The staff of the WTWMA can provide more information about this project (325-949-1950; https://westtxwxmod.com/).
South Texas Weather Modification Association (STWMA)The project with its base of operations in Pleasanton (south of San Antonio) is also in its 25th consecutive year of operation, having been established in 1997 to seed clouds over a target area extending from the base of the Edwards Plateau to near the coastal bend area of Texas. The STWMA is an alliance of two water districts (Evergreen Underground Water Conservation District and the Live Oak Underground Water Conservation District) and a county commission. Seeding activities are directed by a staff meteorologist working with National Weather Service Doppler weather radar data from the airport in Pleasanton. Because the STWMA has ownership of all of the resources (technical and human) needed to perform rain enhancement operations at any time, the weather modification project runs on a year-round basis.
In 2002 the STWMA expanded its target area to absorb three of the counties previously in the cloud seeding target area of the rain enhancement program of the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA). The EAA reduced the size of its target area (now the primary drainage area for the Edwards Aquifer) and enlisted existing rain enhancement projects based in Pleasanton to provide aerial and technical coverage for its newly-redefined target. As a result, the target area of the STWMA expanded by some 2.2 million acres, to nearly 6 million, making it the state's second largest weather modification target. The EAA contracts with the STWMA for cloud seeding services in Bandera, Bexar, and Medina counties. More information on this project can be obtained by contacting the STWMA staff (830/569-4186; http://southtexasweathermodification.com).
Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District (PGWCD)One of the largest water conservation districts in Texas also conducts cloud seeding operations to enhance rainfall and, thus, augment groundwater recharge over the Ogallala Aquifer in the state's northern extremity. This project of the PGWCD, after being served in its initial year by a contractor, followed the path taken by earlier projects in Texas and in 2001 procured its own aircraft, radar, office facility, and support personnel. The PGWCD project has access to cloud systems moving out of Oklahoma into its target area, which currently consists of nearly 4.1 million acres in the eastern sector of the Texas Panhandle. The staff of the PGWCD (806/883-2501; https://www.pgcd.us/precipitation-enhancement ) can provide additional information about this project.
Trans Pecos Weather Modification Association (TPWMA)Cloud-seeding has been underway west of the Pecos River since May 2003. The TPWMA consists of the Ward County Irrigation District and other political subdivisions within Culberson, Loving, Pecos, Reeves, and Ward counties. Its target area in that part of Texas along and west of the Pecos River consists of 5.1 million acres. TPWMA aircraft are based at the airport in Pecos, Fort Stockton, or in Alpine, and seeding missions are directed by a meteorologist based in San Angelo. Additional information is available about this project through the Ward County Irrigation District in Barstow (432/445-6834).
Rolling Plains Water Enhancement ProjectAs many as a half-dozen counties are sponsoring cloud seeding in a Rolling Plains target from near Abilene north and eastward toward the Red River valley. Originally, in 2015, the counties constituted a ''target area'' of 3.487 million acres, and three additional counties have since been added to the west and southwest to allow for an adequate ''buffer'' in which aircraft could operate to seed storms moving northeastward into the target. The counties contract with a Texas-based company, licensed and permitted by TDLR, for the cloud-seeding services. The seeding aircraft operate from within the multi-county target area.
Each of the projects described above is permitted by TDLR, with each permit covering a period that can range up to four years in duration. The project sponsor, or contractor, is also required to keep current a Texas weather modification license, which is renewable annually.
Individuals or organizations representing areas of the state not now engaged in cloud seeding but with an interest in doing so should email weather.modification@tdlr.texas.gov weather.modification@tdlr.texas.gov about any weather modification permitting and licensing matters, or for general information about cloud seeding technology.
Shared post - As the Daily Wire Publicly Negotiated a Debate with Candace Owens, it Secretly Sought -- and Obtained -- a Gag Order Against Her
Fri, 03 May 2024 14:45
As the Daily Wire Publicly Negotiated a Debate with Candace Owens, it Secretly Sought -- and Obtained -- a Gag Order Against Her
Due to a prior restraint order against Owens, the much-anticipated Israel debate with Ben Shapiro appears to be off.
Daily Wire co-founder Ben Shapiro (left), and former Daily Wire host Candace Owens (right)
On April 5, Candace Owens publicly invited her former Daily Wire colleague Ben Shapiro to a debate about "Israel and the current definition of antisemitism." It was Owens' criticisms of U.S. financing of Israel, and her criticisms of Israel's war in Gaza, that caused her departure from the Daily Wire two weeks earlier.
Both Shapiro and Daily Wire CEO Jeremy Boreing responded by saying they would like to arrange the debate requested by Owens. That night, Shapiro appeared to accept her offer, writing on X: "Sure, Candace. I texted you on February 29th offering this very thing." The Daily Wire co-founder added: "Let's do it on my show this Monday at 5pm at our studios in Nashville; 90 minutes, live-streamed."
After Owens objected to the format and timing, she and Boreing exchanged several tweets in which they appeared to be negotiating, and then agreeing to, the terms and format for the debate. Owens had suggested the debate be moderated by Joe Rogan or Lex Fridman. Shaprio said he wanted no moderator. They ultimately agreed to the terms, with Boreing offering a series of conditions, including a no-moderator debate, and with Owens publicly accepting.
Two weeks later, many readers of both Shapiro and Owens noticed, and complained, that the debate had not yet happened. On April 24, Owens addressed those inquiries by explaining that the Daily Wire had yet to propose dates, while reiterating her strong desire to ensure the debate happened.
But the debate was never going to happen. That is because the Daily Wire -- in secret and unbeknownst to its readers -- sought a gag order to be placed on Owens after she had called for a debate. They did this under the cover of secrecy, before a private arbitrator, at exactly the same time that they were claiming in public that they wanted this debate and were even negotiating the terms with her. To this date, the Daily Wire has not informed its readers, seeking to understand why the much-anticipated debate had not yet happened, that they had sought and obtained a gag order against Owens.
When seeking a gag order to be imposed on Owens, the Daily Wire accused her of violating the non-disparagement clause of her agreement with the company. To substantiate this accusation, the company specifically cited Owens' initial tweet requesting a debate with Shapiro as proof of this disparagement, along with concerns she voiced that Shapiro appeared to be violating the confidentiality agreement between them by publicly maligning Owens's views to explain her departure from the company. While the company claimed before the arbitrator that it did not object in principle to a "healthy debate," it urged the imposition of a gag order on Owens by claiming that the way she requested the debate constituted disparagement of Shapiro and the site.
To justify the gag order it wanted, the company also cited various criticisms of the Daily Wire and Shapiro on X that Owens had "liked." This proceeding took place as part of an exchange of legal threats between the parties after the public agreement to debate about Israel was solidified. Those threats arose from the fact that various Daily Wire executives and hosts, in both public and private, were castigating Owens as an anti-Semite. On March 22, Daily Wire host Andrew Klaven published a one-hour video that hurled multiple accusations, including anti-Semitism, at Owens. The Daily Wire cited Owens' response to that video -- her defense of herself from those multiple accusations -- as further proof that she needed to be gagged.
The initial tweet from Owens not only requested a debate, but also included a video from the popular comedian Andrew Schulz, who had mocked the Daily Wire for firing Owens over disagreements regarding Israel, and specifically mocked Shapiro for his willingness to debate only undergraduate students. The tweet underneath Owens's original debate request included a summary of Schulz's mockery of Shapiro which stated: Schulz now "realizes Ben Shapiro is only good at debating college liberals & can't win debates against serious competition."
After the prior restraint hearing sought by the Daily Wire and Shapiro, the arbitrator sided with them and against Owens. The arbitrator agreed with the Daily Wire that Owens' call to debate Shapiro, and her follow-up negotiations of the debate, constituted "disparagement" of the company and Shapiro. The company argued that any further attempt by Owens to debate, as well her suggesting that the debate would expose the Daily Wire's real "priorities," constituted criticisms of the site and of Shapiro, criticisms that the arbitrator concluded Owens was barred from expressing under her contract with the company.
The arbitrator thus imposed a gag order of prior restraint on Owens. Among other things, the order banned Owens from saying or doing anything in the future which could tarnish or harm the reputation of the Daily Wire and/or Ben Shapiro. Given that the Daily Wire had argued, and the arbitrator agreed, that Owens' offers to debate Shapiro about Israel and anti-semitism were themselves "disparaging," the Daily Wire has ensured that the debate with Owens that they publicly claimed to want could not, in fact, take place. Any such debate would be in conflict with the gag order they obtained on Owens from expressing any criticisms of the site or of Shapiro.
When asked for comment to be included this story, Owens replied: I "wish I could comment on this but I can't." She added: "can neither confirm nor deny."
Boreing said: "your story is inaccurate to the point of being false," though he did not specify a single inaccuracy, nor did he deny that the Daily Wire had sought and obtained a gag order on Owens at the same time they were publicly posturing as wanting a debate with her. The confirmation we obtained of all these facts is indisputable. Boreing added: "I'm sure you can appreciate how fraught a high profile break-up like this is. For that reason, we are trying to resolve our issues with Candace privately."
It certainly seems true that the Daily Wire is attempting to achieve all of this "privately." Nonetheless, Ben Shapiro has constructed his very lucrative media brand and persona based on his supposed superiority in debating, a reputation cultivated largely as a result of numerous appearances at undergraduate schools around the country where he intrepidly engages with students who are often in their teens or early twenties. Both Shapiro and the Daily Wire have also predicated their collective media brand on an eagerness to engage in free and open debate with anyone, and to vehemently oppose any efforts to silence people, especially those in media, from expressing their political views.
It was the imperatives of this media branding that presumably led the Daily Wire and Shapiro to publicly agree to a debate with Owens over Israel and anti-semitism in the first place. Indeed, when it became apparent early after the start of Israel's war in Gaza that Owens had major differences with Shapiro, Boering responded to calls from Israel supporters for Owens to be fired by proclaiming in November:
[E]ven if we could, we would not fire Candace because of another thing we have in common - a desire not to regulate the speech of our hosts, even when we disagree with them. Candace is paid to give her opinion, not mine or Ben's. Unless those opinions run afoul of the law or she violates the terms of her contract in some way, her job is secure and she is welcome at Daily Wire.
But a mere four months later, Owens, despite being of one of the company's most popular hosts, was out. The company had concluded that her increasingly vocal criticisms of Israel, opposition to U.S. financing of it, and her views on anti-semitism were incompatible with the Daily Wire's policies.
All of those issues would likely have been the subject of the public debate that Owens sought, and that the Daily Wire claimed to want. Instead, the Daily Wire has succeeded in obtaining a gag order that, on its face, prevents Owens, in advance, from questioning or criticizing both the Daily Wire or Shapiro in any way.
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VIDEO - Beef Recall Map Shows Area Affected
Sun, 05 May 2024 03:46
Eleven states and Washington, D.C., have been affected by a mass recall of ground beef products in this week.
The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued Class 1 recall for several beef products due to concerns of potential E.coli contamination. The recall specifically concerns six ground beef products produced by Cargill Meat Solutions, Pennsylvania.
A map shows that the involved area is comprised of states in the mid-Atlantic and New England regions.
The FSIS initiated the recall after discovering that a previously segregated product was mistakenly used in the production of ground mince and burger patties. Approximately 16,243 pounds of raw beef are believed to be affected by the May 1 notice.
"Out of an abundance of caution and in coordination with the USDA, we have voluntarily recalled approximately 16,000 pounds of our ground beef products that may potentially be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7," Cargill Meat Solutions told Newsweek.
The company also clarified that the recalled products were sent to Walmart stores across 11 states concentrated in the east and north east of the country. They are: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Vermont. The recall is also in place in Washington, D.C.
Anyone who lives in these states have has purchased one of the affected products is urged to check the details on the packaging. The affected products are:
2.25 pounds. plastic-wrapped trays containing "93% LEAN 7% FAT ALL NATURAL LEAN GROUND BEEF" with lot code 117.1.33 pounds. plastic-wrapped trays containing four "PRIME RIB BEEF STEAK BURGERS PATTIES" with lot code 118.2.25 pounds. plastic-wrapped trays containing "85% LEAN 15% FAT ALL NATURAL ANGUS PREMIUM GROUND BEEF" with lot code 117.2.25 pounds. plastic-wrapped trays containing "80% LEAN 20% FAT ALL NATURAL GROUND BEEF CHUCK" with lot code 118.1.33 pounds. plastic-wrapped trays containing four "80% LEAN 20% FAT ALL NATURAL GROUND BEEF CHUCK PATTIES" with lot code 118.1.33 pounds. plastic-wrapped trays containing four "90% LEAN 10% FAT ALL NATURAL GROUND BEEF SIRLOIN PATTIES" with lot code 118.A stock image of ground beef on a chopping board. The recalled product affected 11 states and the District of Columbia. A stock image of ground beef on a chopping board. The recalled product affected 11 states and the District of Columbia. GETTYConsumers are advised to check for the establishment number "EST. 86P" printed on the back of the label for identification.
In response to the recall, the FSIS has said any relevant products found should not be consumed and should either be discarded or returned to the store where it was purchased. For inquiries regarding the recall, Cargill has established a consumer hotline at 1-844-419-1574.
Escherichia coli poses serious health risks, with symptoms of infection including dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. While most people recover within a week, severe complications can arise, especially in vulnerable groups such as young children under five and elderly adults.
The recall is not linked to the a separate E.coli outbreak across 19 states from products produced by Gibson Farms, Inc. So far, 12 illnesses have been reported from consuming the contaminated product.
Uncommon KnowledgeNewsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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VIDEO - Live updates: Warren Buffett at Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting 2024
Sat, 04 May 2024 18:20
Why Berkshire Hathaway doesn't pay a dividendWarren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway doesn't pay a dividend, even as it boasts a cash hoard of tens of billions of dollars. A company can use dividends to reward shareholders by distributing a portion of its earnings.
But the Oracle of Omaha expects that he can use his capital in more profitable ways. In fact, Buffett has said he would use a buyback program to return capital to shareholders, instead of dividends, if he felt he couldn't use his capital efficiently.
"Dividends have the implied promise that you keep paying them forever and not decrease them," Buffett said in a 2018 interview with CNBC, adding, "We would probably lean toward repurchase," between the two.
'-- Sarah Min, Yun Li
Buffett honors Carol Loomis, longtime editor of his annual shareholder lettersWarren Buffett took a few moments during his morning session to honor Carol Loomis, a longtime financial journalist who edited Buffett's revered annual shareholder letters for years.
"Carol is the best business writer ... nobody came close to her, and she started from scratch," Buffett said about Loomis, asking the crowd to give a round of applause to her. "In 1977, I asked her to edit my report and she had turned out to be as good an editor as she was a writer. And all the way through this year, including this year, Carol has edited the Berkshire report."
Loomis was a former senior editor-at-large of Fortune magazine, who also chronicled the start of the hedge fund industry.
'-- Pia Singh
Real estate agents remain key following settlements, Abel says Real estate agents will continue to play a key role in the home-buying process, even after major settlements, according to Greg Abel.
The National Association of Realtors said in March it would end policies that set agent commissions and pay more than $400 million in compensation to home sellers across the U.S. Multiple lawsuits against the trade group had alleged that the rules tied to listings on the NAR-affiliated Multiple Listing Services elevated commission rates, according to the Associated Press.
In late April, Berkshire's HomeServices of America said it would pay $250 million to settle lawsuits that alleged commissions were unnecessarily high. That's the biggest sum paid by any individual brokerage so far, according to the Wall Street Journal.
"There's no question the industry will go through some transitions because of that settlement," said Abel, Buffett's successor. But, "the real estate agent is still an important part of these transactions. It's the one time in our lives where we make these massive investments, and having that counsel and guidance is critical."
With the broader NAR settlement, Abel said essentially all players in the space were "swept up."
Meanwhile, Warren Buffett said he's encouraged the expansion of its real estate brokerage business, calling it "fundamental." However, he acknowledged being surprised by the legal decision.
'-- Alex Harring
Berkshire shareholders meeting breaks for lunchWarren Buffett has ended the morning question-and-answer session at Berkshire's annual meeting to break for lunch.
CNBC will continue programing throughout the break.
'--Christina Cheddar Berk
Buffett on his cash hoard: 'We only swing at pitches we like' Buffett is making good returns by putting his mountain of cash in Treasury bills yielding north of 5.4%.
"We only swing at pitches we like," Buffett said when asked about why he hasn't used his cash pile to make new investments. "We don't use it now at 5.4% but we wouldn't use it if it was at 1%. Don't tell the Federal Reserve," he said jokingly.
Berkshire's cash reached a record high of $188.99 billion, up from $167.6 billion in the fourth quarter. Buffett previously revealed that he's been buying 3- and 6-month Treasury bills every Monday.
'-- Yun Li
Buffett touches on succession plan, says investors 'don't have too long to wait'Buffett briefly touched on Berkshire Hathaway's future without him at the helm, and noted that his advanced age is top of mind despite his continuing to feel up to the job.
"We'll see how the next management plays the game out at Berkshire, [but] fortunately you don't have too long to wait on that. I feel fine, but I know a little about actuarial tables," Buffett said.
"I shouldn't be taking on any four-year employment contracts like several people are doing in this world at an age when you can't be quite that sure where you're going to be in four years," he added.
Buffett will turn 94 in August, and has already named Vice Chairman of Non-Insurance Operations Greg Abel, who was sitting at his side Saturday, as the Berkshire CEO successor. But investors wonder if Berkshire shares would trade at the same valuation over the long-term without Buffett at the helm making the major investing decisions.
'-- Brian Evans
Berkshire is watching renewable energy, but thinks more time is required Warren Buffett said renewable energy is of interest, but it needs time to be developed.
"There are certain things that just take a certain amount of time," the "Oracle of Omaha" said. "My daughter hates it when I use this example, but it's really true that you can't create a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant."
But Buffett also said solar will likely never be the only electricity source.
Greg Abel, chair of Berkshire's energy business, also said reliability and affordability are important factors to keep in mind.
'-- Alex Harring
Buffett teases a possible Canada investment Warren Buffett hinted that the conglomerate was evaluating a possible investment opportunity north of the border.
"We do not feel uncomfortable in any way shape or form putting our money into Canada. In fact, we're actually looking at one thing now," said Buffett.
The Berkshire CEO did not reveal what the investment was and whether it was public or private.
Heading into the meeting there's been a lot of speculation about which investments Berkshire is building. The company has been granted confidential treatment regarding one mystery stake it's been buying for the last three quarters in the financial sector.
'--John Melloy
Buffett found Munger to be truly honest Warren Buffett said Charlie Munger was a trusted business partner, but he's also been able to look elsewhere for personal support.
"I trust my children and my wife totally," Buffett said. "But that doesn't mean I ask them what stocks to buy."
"In terms of managing money, there wasn't anybody better in the world to talk to for many, many decades than Charlie," he said. "That doesn't mean I didn't talk to other people."
Still, "if I didn't think I could do it myself, I wouldn't have done it," he said of business decision making. "So, to some extent, I talk to myself on investments."
Buffett called Munger unfailingly honest, which is part of why he became a key companion. That applied to both his work and personal life, Buffett added.
"When you get that in your life, you cherish those people and you sort of forget about the rest," he said.
'-- Alex Harring
Buffett says AI scamming could be next big 'growth industry,' likens technology to nuclear weapons Warren Buffett said that artificial intelligence scamming could be the next big "growth industry," likening the technology to nuclear weapons in its potential for great change.
The "Oracle of Omaha" said he doesn't "know anything" about AI, but recounted a recent encounter with an AI-generated image of himself on screen that made him nervous about the technology.
"When you think about the potential for scamming people, if you can reproduce images that I can't even tell, that say, 'I need money,' as your daughter, 'I just had a car crash, I need $50,000 wired.' I mean, scamming has always been part of the American scene, but this would make me, if I was interested in investing in scamming, it's going to be the growth industry of all time," he told a crowd of investors at Berkshire's annual meeting.
"I said we let the genie out of the bottle when we developed nuclear weapons and that genie has been doing some terrible things lately, and the power of that genie is what, you know, scares the hell out of me," he added. "And I don't know any way to get the genie back in the bottle, and AI is somewhat similar."
'-- Sarah Min
Geico is 'still playing catch-up' with data analytics compared with its peers in the insurance sector, Ajit Jain says Ajit Jain, Berkshire Hathaway's vice chairman of insurance operations, is well aware that Geico is lagging behind its peers when it comes to data analytics.
"As Warren has pointed out in the past, one of the drawbacks that Geico is faced with is it hasn't been doing as good of a job on matching rate with risk and segmenting and pricing product based on the risk characteristics. '... Geico hasn't been that good at managing risk," Jain told Berkshire investors.
"Technology is something that is unfortunately been a bottleneck," he said, adding that Geico was "still playing catch-up."
"But then again, we are making progress. '... Yes, I recognize we are still behind, we are taking steps to bridge the gap and certainly by the end of 2025, we should be along with the best of players when it comes to data analytics," he said.
'-- Brian Evans
Buffett accidentally refers to Greg Abel as Charlie Munger In a slip-up, Buffett referred to Greg Abel, chair of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, as the late Charlie Munger.
"I'm so used to that," Buffett said after the mix up.
The moment underscores the strength of Buffett's relationship with Munger, who was viewed as a close friend and key business partner leading up to his death late last year.
Buffett admitted he would probably "slip again."
"It's a great honor," said Abel, who is Buffett's heir apparent, of being mistaken for Munger.
'-- Alex Harring
Buffett explains why Berkshire reduced its big Apple stake When asked why Berkshire trimmed its Apple position, Buffett suggested it was for tax reasons following sizable gains on the investment and not any judgement of his long-term view of the stock.
He also suggested it could be tied to his view that tax rates may possibly be going higher to fund a ballooning U.S. fiscal deficit.
"It doesn't bother me in the least to write that check '-- and I would really hope with all that America's done for all of you, it shouldn't bother you that we do it '--and if I'm doing it at 21% this year and we're doing it a little higher percentage later on, I don't think you'll actually mind the fact that we sold a little Apple this year," Buffett said.
Stock Chart IconStock chart iconApple shares over teh past five years.
Buffett said it's "extremely likely" that Apple will remain the largest holding at his conglomerate despite the recent slowdown in sales.
The Oracle of Omaha said Berkshire will continue to own some of its top holdings '-- American Express , Apple and Coca Cola '-- when he's no longer at the helm and Vice Chairman of Non-insurance Operations Greg Abel takes over. He added that Apple is an "even better business" than American Express and Coca Cola.
"That's the story of why we own American Express, which is a wonderful business," Buffett said. "We own Coca-Cola, which is a wonderful business. And we own Apple, which is an even better business, and we will own, unless something really extraordinary happens, we will own Apple and American Express and Coca-Cola."
'-- Yun Li
Buffett found Japanese trading houses 'compelling,' but says bets in other countries 'unlikely'Warren Buffett finds his bet in Japanese trading houses "compelling," but said he finds investments in other countries unlikely.
"We bought it as fast as we could," the investor said in reference to five Japanese trading houses that he first acquired stakes in August 2020 on his 90th birthday, in an initial purchase worth roughly $6 billion.
It's "unlikely we will make any large commitments in other countries," he added.
'-- Sarah Min
Buffett says 'fatal' decisions have been avoided as Berkshire has saved over timeWarren Buffett said Berkshire has avoided making "fatal" choices in the several major decisions it faced over the years.
"Sometimes, we've done things that were big mistakes," he said. "But we never get close to fatal mistakes."
And "every now and then," he said, they did something that "really works."
Buffett also pointed to the company's accumulation of $571 billion while avoiding those unfixable slip-ups, far ahead of runner-up JPMorgan . "This does show what can be done '-- really, without any miracles '-- if you save money over time," he said,
'-- Alex Harring
Buffett says cash stake could reach $200 billion Warren Buffett told Berkshire Hathaway investors on Saturday that the company's cash stake could climb to $200 billion by the end of the current quarter.
"Our cash and Treasury bills were $182 billion at the quarter end, and I think it's a fair assumption that they'll probably be at about $200 billion at the end of this quarter," Buffett said.
"We'd love to spend it, but we won't spend it unless we think they're doing something that has very little risk and can make us a lot of money," he added.
'-- Brian Evans
Warren Buffett calls Charlie Munger the 'architect of Berkshire' Charles Munger at the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, April 29, 2022.
David A. Grogan | CNBC
Warren Buffett called Charlie Munger the "architect of Berkshire" at the conclusion of an emotionally moving, at times humorous, movie tribute to his long-time friend and business partner. Munger died last year at the age of 99, just weeks before his 100th birthday.
The short film detailed the life of Charlie Munger, including his life in Omaha, Nebraska, where he and Buffett were born and raised just two miles from the arena Berkshire's annual meeting is held. It also showcased a montage of many of the short quips the investor had come to be known for over the years. At a 2015 meeting, he said: "Warren, if people weren't so often wrong we wouldn't be so rich."
Many of the quotes are chronicled in CNBC's Warren Buffett archive.
'-- Sarah Min
Charlie Munger's book is the only one available at Berkshire this yearCharles Munger remembrance ahead of the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholder Meeting at Omaha, Nebraska, on May 3, 2024.
Sarah Min | CNBC
About 2,400 copies of Charlie Munger's book "Poor Charlie's Almanack" were sold on Friday, Warren Buffett said.
The book is the only one being sold at the annual shareholders meeting this year, in honor of Munger following his death. In a typical year, Buffett said there would be around 25 books for sale.
'-- Alex Harring
Warren Buffett takes the stage Warren Buffett has taken the stage to begin the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting.
Standing ovation for MungerAt the end of Berkshire annual meeting movie, Buffett asked the staff to turn on the lights in the arena for the late Charlie Munger. Some 30,000 shareholders in the room stood up to give Munger a standing ovation, paying their respects to Buffett's business partner for more than 60 years.
'-- Yun Li
Charlie Munger tribute begins Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger at Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting, April 30, 2022.
CNBC
This year, the short film that precedes the start of Berkshire Hathaway's annual meeting was a tribute to Charlie Munger. Attendees laughed at a reel of the investor's best-known zingers over the years, including "If people weren't so often wrong, we wouldn't be so rich."
'-- Sarah Min
Ariel Investments CEO tells investors contemplating Berkshire shares to 'just get started' Ariel Investments CEO John Rogers called Berkshire Hathaway shares a top investment idea, while hedging that investors don't need to jump in all at once when the price is high.
Rogers said it's one of the best investments of all time. When shares are considered expensive, traders should use dollar-cost averaging to build a stake over time as opposed to buying in all at once, he said.
"I tell people all the time, 'just get started,'" he said during CNBC's Saturday stream from the annual shareholders meeting.
Rogers has been a shareholder for over two decades, but said he "really wished" he had started 40 years ago.
"I keep kicking myself, like, 'How could I have missed that?'" he said.
'-- Alex Harring
Tim Cook present at annual meeting Apple CEO Tim Cook is present at Berkshire's annual meeting Saturday, sitting in one of the front rows with Luca Maestri, the iPhone maker's chief financial officer, and Kristin Huguet Quayle, vice president of worldwide communications.
Cook has attended multiple Berkshire meetings in previous years.
Berkshire has been Apple's biggest shareholder outside of exchange-traded fund providers. However, in the first quarter, the conglomerate did cut its gigantic stake by about 13%.
Cook told CNBC's Becky Quick that the company feels "privileged" to have Berkshire as a shareholder.
'-- Yun Li, Steve Kovach
One analyst hopes for more insight into management bench at BerkshireWarren Buffett poses with Martin, the Geico gecko, ahead of the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholder's Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska on May 3rd, 2024.
David A. Grogan | CNBC
Investors hope Warren Buffett will provide more insight into the next level of management at Berkshire Hathaway, after the passing of Charlie Munger brought the question of succession to the fore, one analyst said.
"Succession is quite frankly a top of mind issue for most investors. And it's kind of like the elephant in the room given Warren Buffett's age, given the passing of Charlie Munger," said Cathy Seifert, senior vice president at CFRA Research.
"It's my hope that Berkshire outlines or reassures investors that the management bench at the firm at the broader firm is deeper than perhaps what some people may perceive. I happen to think that there is a lot of talent a couple of rungs below the people we see sitting on the desk during the annual meeting," Seifert added. "I think that Berkshire would do itself a favor to sort of maybe highlight some of those people."
'-- Sarah Min
Berkshire Hathaway shares can get a boost from easing interest rates, analyst says Berkshire Hathaway shares are beating the market this year, but they could further rally should the Federal Reserve cut interest rates given its mix of cyclical businesses, one analyst says.
"I think it's safe to say that interest rates are stable," said Cathy Seifert, senior vice president at CFRA Research. "And, in a stable-to-declining interest rate environment, a lot of Berkshire's economically sensitive businesses should do reasonably well."
CFRA's Seifert has a buy rating on the company. Her 12-month price target of $472 implies Berkshire shares can climb roughly 18% from Thursday's closing price of $400.60 per share.
'-- Sarah Min
Why did Berkshire trim its big Apple stake? The gathering could be a chance for Buffett to explain why Berkshire has trimmed investments in his favorite stock Apple .
For the second quarter in a row, Berkshire's Apple holdings have declined. In the fourth quarter, it sold about 10 million Apple shares (just 1% of its massive stake). Then, in the first quarter, it appears Berkshire sold another 116 million shares.
That's based on the disclosure that Berkshire's Apple stake is worth about $135.4 billion, which would be around 790 million shares, or a decline 13% in its investment.
Buffett's sales have come as a surprise for some as he has grown to become such a big fan of the iPhone maker, even calling it his second-most important business after Berkshire's cluster of insurers. Moreover, the last time Buffett trimmed this stake was in late 2020 and he called it "probably a mistake."
The move could be prompted by valuation concerns. Apple rallied 48% in 2023, making up 50% of Berkshire's portfolio at its peak.
'-- Yun Li
Berkshire Hathaway's cash hoard swells to record $188.99 billionBerkshire Hathaway continues to sit on a massive cash pile. Its first-quarter earnings report reveals cash equivalents climbed to $188.99 billion from $167.6 billion at the end of 2023.
Shareholders will be eager to hear how Warren Buffett and the rest of Berkshire management plan to put this money to use. Buffett has lamented in past years how troublesome it has been to find appropriate acquisition targets.
The increase in cash, comes as operating profit in the first quarter rose 39% to $11.22 billion from a year ago.
'--Fred Imbert, Christina Cheddar Berk
Berkshire attendees line up bright and early The CHI Health Center before the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska on May 4, 2024.
Sarah Min | CNBC
It was a cold and drizzly morning in Omaha, where tens of thousands of attendees flocked to the CHI Health Center Omaha arena to hear Warren Buffett speak the 2024 Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting.
'-- Sarah Min
Buy 'undervalued' Berkshire Hathaway shares, says CFRACFRA is bullish on B shares of Berkshire Hathaway ahead of the company's annual meeting.
The firm called the stock "undervalued versus historical averages" and anticipates catalysts in the Berkshire Hathaway's earnings release Saturday morning.
Stock Chart IconStock chart iconBerkshire Hathaway's class B shares over the past year.
Shares of Berkshire Hathaway are up nearly 13% year to date.
To read more about CFRA's call and what it expects from CEO Warren Buffett during the so-called "Woodstock for Capitalists," read the full story here.
'-- Michelle Fox
Time to reveal secret bank stock?There's a chance that Buffett will reveal the mystery wager Berkshire has been buying for two quarters straight.
In the third and fourth quarters of 2023, Berkshire was granted confidential treatment to keep the details of one or more of its stock holdings confidential.
Many speculated that the secret purchase could be a bank stock as the conglomerate's cost basis for "banks, insurance, and finance" equity holdings jumped by $3.59 billion in the second half of last year, according to separate Berkshire filings.
It's relatively rare for Berkshire to request such a treatment. The last time it kept a purchase confidential was when it bought Chevron and Verizon in 2020.
'-- Yun Li
First meeting without Charlie MungerWarren Buffett walks the floor and meets with Berkshire Hathaway shareholders ahead of their annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska on May 3rd, 2024.
David A. Grogan
The annual meeting could start on a somber note with the absence of Charlie Munger on everyone's mind.
Pandemic lockdown apart, it will be the first without Munger, Buffett's longtime partner who passed away in November at the age of 99.
For the first time, Berkshire will broadcast its annual meeting movie that had previously always been reserved only for those in attendance in Omaha. Many speculate this year's will be a tear-jerker tribute to Munger.
Vice Chairman of Non-Insurance Operations Greg Abel, Buffett's designated successor, will fill Munger's seat in the afternoon session, helping answer shareholder questions.
Munger left a mark on generations of investors in a host of ways thanks to a long and fruitful life. He broadened Buffett's investing approach to focus on quality companies selling at fair prices. Shareholders also appreciated Munger's one-of-a-kind bluntness and humor.
'-- Yun Li
Here's the schedule for CNBC's coverage of the Berkshire Hathaway annual meetingCNBC will be livestreaming Berkshire Hathaway's annual shareholder meeting on Saturday, beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET. Viewers can expect a lively discussion that will provide insight into Warren Buffett's view of the market, what types of deals Berkshire could make in the year ahead and other key topics.
Here is a rundown of the day's events:
9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.: Pre-show anchored by Becky Quick and Mike Santoli
10:15 a.m. - 1 p.m.: Berkshire Hathaway morning Q&A session
1 p.m. - 2 p.m.: Halftime show anchored by Becky Quick and Mike Santoli
2 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.: Afternoon Q&A session of annual meeting
4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.: Post-show anchored by Becky Quick and Mike Santoli
Note: Schedule reflects Eastern Time
'--Christina Cheddar Berk
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VIDEO - Jared Bernstein Struggles to Explain Why We Don't Just Print All of the Money the Government Uses :: Grabien News
Sat, 04 May 2024 17:29
'Some of the language and concepts are confusing'May 3, 2024 12:00 PM
By Grabien Staff
EXCERPT:
BERNSTEIN: "Well, um, the, uh '-- so the, I mean, again '-- some of this stuff gets '-- some of the language that the MM '-- some of the language and concepts are just confusing. I mean, the government definitely prints money and it definitely lends that money. Which is why -- the government definitely prints money and then it lends that money by '-- by selling bonds. Is that what they do? They '-- they '-- yeah, they '-- they '-- they sell bonds. Yeah, they sell bonds, right? Since they sell bonds and people buy the bonds and lend them the money. Yeah, so a lot of times '-- a lot of times, at least to my ear, with MMT, the language and the concepts can be kind of unnecessarily confusing, but there is no question that the government prints money and then it uses that money to um '-- so, um, yeah, I guess I'm just '-- I can't really talk. I don't get it. I don't know what they're talking about, like, 'cause it's like, the government clearly prints money, it does it all the time, and it clearly borrows. Otherwise we wouldn't be having this debt and deficit conversation. So I don't think there's anything confusing there."
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VIDEO - Ukraine unveils AI government 'spokesperson' named Victoria
Sat, 04 May 2024 17:10
As if life in wartime Ukraine wasn't unreal enough, the foreign ministry this week introduced an AI-generated ''spokesperson'' that will be used to make official statements on its behalf.
''Victoria Shi,'' will appear to be dressed in a dark suit and read scripts provided by humans, made her debut on social media by introducing itself.
''I am a digital person, that means the text that you hear was generated by artificial intelligence,'' the bot said in its initial video, posted Wednesday. ''With my appointment, we are taking a step into the future.''
Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, said Victoria was created to save diplomats' time. AFP via Getty Images''It's only the visual part that the AI helps us to generate,'' Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, told The Guardian. The text that the bot reads is created by the agency.
He added the feat is a ''technological leap that no diplomatic service in the world has yet made,'' which was created to save the time and resources of its diplomats.
Shi is modeled after singer Rosalie Nombre, a former contestant on Ukraine's version of the reality show ''The Bachelor.''
AI-generated Victoria Shi, who will dress in a dark suit and read scripts provided by humans, made her debut on social media on Wednesday. Facebook/MFA of UkraineIt's first name is based on the word ''victory'' and its last on the Ukrainian phrase for artificial intelligence, ''shtuchniy intelekt.''
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VIDEO - Jared Bernstein, Chair of Council of Economic Advisers, can't explain why Gov borrows its own Money!
Sat, 04 May 2024 14:45
And that borrowing is at interest, to YOU! Probably the most frightening clip you'll ever watch on the people in charge of the US economy. Just bright enough to tow the line and look the other way in blissful ignorance as the ship sinks. He'...
And that borrowing is at interest, to YOU! Probably the most frightening clip you'll ever watch on the people in charge of the US economy. Just bright enough to tow the line and look the other way in blissful ignorance as the ship sinks. He'll flee to Israel when it gets bad enough. Note the last name. (((Every single time, all the time)))
Jared Bernstein was asked about Modern Monetary Theory (MMT).
MMT says government is different. It owes the money to itself and the debt can be canceled at will. In MMT theory, a benevolent government would spend the money wisely, cancel all the debt or pay interest to itself, and everyone will essentially live happily ever after.
The notion is really amusing. But it was more amusing watching Bernstein try to address a question on it. He doesn't even know, his job is just to keep the ship running on the course it always has been since 1913.
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VIDEO - Podcast | Bill Gates
Fri, 03 May 2024 14:57
Unconfuse Me with Bill Gates - Episode 7
Hannah Ritchie
2/1/2024 6:00:00 PM
When I start to feel overwhelmed by the climate challenges we face, I turn to Hannah Ritchie, a researcher at Our World in Data. Her data-driven approach is an essential antidote to environmental doomsday-ism and provides some much-needed optimism about humanity's ability to tackle big problems. I recently sat down with Hannah to talk about her terrific new book Not the End of the World, why it's so hard to wrap our minds around human progress, what we would ask a time traveler about the future, and more.
Your browser does not support the audio element. When I start to feel overwhelmed by the climate challenges we face, I turn to Hannah Ritchie, a researcher at Our World in Data. Her data-driven approach is an essential antidote to environmental doomsday-ism and provides some much-needed optimism about humanity's ability to tackle big problems. I recently sat down with Hannah to talk about her terrific new book Not the End of the World, why it's so hard to wrap our minds around human progress, what we would ask a time traveler about the future, and more.
Available wherever you listen to your podcasts on February 1.
Unconfuse Me with Bill Gates - Episode 6
Sam Altman
1/11/2024 6:00:00 PM
If you ask people to name leaders in artificial intelligence, there's one name you'll probably hear more than any other: Sam Altman. His team at OpenAI is pushing the boundaries of what AI can do with ChatGPT, and I loved getting to talk to him about what's next. Our conversation covered why today's AI models are the stupidest they'll ever be, how societies adapt to technological change, and even where humanity will find purpose once we've perfected artificial intelligence.
Your browser does not support the audio element. If you ask people to name leaders in artificial intelligence, there's one name you'll probably hear more than any other: Sam Altman. His team at OpenAI is pushing the boundaries of what AI can do with ChatGPT, and I loved getting to talk to him about what's next. Our conversation covered why today's AI models are the stupidest they'll ever be, how societies adapt to technological change, and even where humanity will find purpose once we've perfected artificial intelligence.
Available wherever you listen to your podcasts on January 11.
Unconfuse Me with Bill Gates - Episode 5
Yejin Choi
11/16/2023 6:00:00 PM
Few people are better at explaining the science of artificial intelligence than Yejin Choi. She's a computer science professor at the University of Washington, senior research director at the Allen Institute for AI, and the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship. I thought her recent TED talk was terrific, and I was thrilled to talk to her about how you train a large language model, why it's so hard for robots to pick tools out of a box, and why universities must play a key role in the future of AI research.
Your browser does not support the audio element. Few people are better at explaining the science of artificial intelligence than Yejin Choi. She's a computer science professor at the University of Washington, senior research director at the Allen Institute for AI, and the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship. I thought her recent TED talk was terrific, and I was thrilled to talk to her about how you train a large language model, why it's so hard for robots to pick tools out of a box, and why universities must play a key role in the future of AI research.
Available wherever you listen to your podcasts on November 16.
Unconfuse Me with Bill Gates - Episode 4
John McWhorter
9/7/2023 7:00:00 AM
I recently started learning French, and the process has made one thing clear to me: There's a lot I don't understand about how languages work. So, I turned to John McWhorter, a linguist who has dedicated his career to demystifying the roughly 7,000 languages spoken around the world. When he isn't busy writing books, John is a professor at Columbia University, host of his own podcast, and frequent lecturer for Great Courses. He helped me understand why English is so irregular, what the ideal language would look like, why all dialects are created equal, and more.
Your browser does not support the audio element. I recently started learning French, and the process has made one thing clear to me: There's a lot I don't understand about how languages work. So, I turned to John McWhorter, a linguist who has dedicated his career to demystifying the roughly 7,000 languages spoken around the world. When he isn't busy writing books, John is a professor at Columbia University, host of his own podcast, and frequent lecturer for Great Courses. He helped me understand why English is so irregular, what the ideal language would look like, why all dialects are created equal, and more.
Available wherever you listen to podcasts on September 7th
Unconfuse Me with Bill Gates - Episode 3
Questlove
8/24/2023 7:00:00 AM
Ahmir ''Questlove'' Thompson is the ultimate multi-hyphenate: He's a musician, filmmaker, author, entrepreneur, and more. The Grammy and Oscar winner is also a plant-based foods advocate, so when I had some questions about the future of food, I knew I had to sit down with him. We had a blast talking about why he made a meatless Philly cheesesteak, how we make healthy food accessible to more people, Questlove's insane record collection, how we got our nicknames, and our Wordle strategies.
Your browser does not support the audio element. Ahmir ''Questlove'' Thompson is the ultimate multi-hyphenate: He's a musician, filmmaker, author, entrepreneur, and more. The Grammy and Oscar winner is also a plant-based foods advocate, so when I had some questions about the future of food, I knew I had to sit down with him. We had a blast talking about why he made a meatless Philly cheesesteak, how we make healthy food accessible to more people, Questlove's insane record collection, how we got our nicknames, and our Wordle strategies.
Available wherever you listen to podcasts on August 24th
Unconfuse Me with Bill Gates - Episode 2
Sal Khan
8/10/2023 7:00:00 AM
Sal Khan is a true pioneer of harnessing the power of technology to help kids learn. So, when I wanted to learn more about how artificial intelligence will transform education, I knew I had to talk to the founder of Khan Academy. I loved chatting with Sal about why tutoring is so important, how his new service Khanmigo is making the most of ChatGPT, and how we can keep teachers at the center of the classroom in the age of AI. We even found time to talk about our favorite teachers and the subject we wish we'd studied in school.
Your browser does not support the audio element. Sal Khan is a true pioneer of harnessing the power of technology to help kids learn. So, when I wanted to learn more about how artificial intelligence will transform education, I knew I had to talk to the founder of Khan Academy. I loved chatting with Sal about why tutoring is so important, how his new service Khanmigo is making the most of ChatGPT, and how we can keep teachers at the center of the classroom in the age of AI. We even found time to talk about our favorite teachers and the subject we wish we'd studied in school.
Available wherever you listen to podcasts on August 10th
Unconfuse Me with Bill Gates - Episode 1
Seth Rogen & Lauren Miller Rogen
7/27/2023 7:00:00 AM
Your browser does not support the audio element. Can Alzheimer's disease be funny? I was skeptical, especially given the devastating experience my family had watching my dad suffer from it. So, I asked two experts in using humor to raise awareness'--Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen'--to help me see the light. We had a great conversation about their organization Hilarity for Charity, hope for the future of Alzheimer's research, the importance of a good night's sleep, and why Seth started a cannabis lifestyle company.
Available wherever you listen to podcasts on July 27, 2023
