Amidst all the storm and drama I’ve been enjoying learning more about just how the current crop of AI applications (LLMs, or Large Language Models) operate. I don’t want to imply that I understand them at a deep level — my programming career peaked with some piecework programming in Visual Basic that I did in grad school. (Actually, there was also that extremely elegant bubble sort program I wrote in middle school. But I digress …) But it has at least given me some sense of the roots of the limitations that are coming to the fore. Specifically — but not only — the way applications like ChatGPT frequently fabricate false claims clothed in the trappings of facticity. I’m not just claiming this new protein structure exists. I’m citing the specific journal article with the page numbers and date and authors, etc. It’s got to be true!
Continue reading “Evolving Thoughts on Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models”GOPers Furiously Try To Spin Biden’s Ukraine Trip As UnAmerican
When President Biden appeared in Kyiv on Monday, he was met with two reactions.
Continue reading “GOPers Furiously Try To Spin Biden’s Ukraine Trip As UnAmerican”Santos Finally Admits He’s Been ‘A Terrible Liar’
After a bit of prodding from none other than right-wing TV host Piers Morgan, Rep. George Santos (R-NY) admitted to being “a terrible liar” in a Monday interview. In the roughly 40-minute discussion Morgan pressed the New York congressman on the plethora of lies he has told over the past couple of years, which came to light just after he was elected to Congress.
Continue reading “Santos Finally Admits He’s Been ‘A Terrible Liar’ “James O’Keefe Is Gone From Project Veritas — But He Wasn’t Fired
James O’Keefe, founder and chairman of the conservative media outfit Project Veritas, has left his position within the company amid employee complaints. But its board insists that they didn’t fire him – they claim they didn’t even want him to resign.
Continue reading “James O’Keefe Is Gone From Project Veritas — But He Wasn’t Fired”Wisconsin Judge Allows Republican Initiatives To Appear On General Supreme Court Ballot
A Wisconsin judge on Monday batted down a challenge to ballot initiatives passed by the state’s Republican legislature — its apparent attempt to juice turnout for a high-stakes Supreme Court election.
Continue reading “Wisconsin Judge Allows Republican Initiatives To Appear On General Supreme Court Ballot”MTG Celebrated Lincoln’s Birthday With A Full-Throated Call For Secession
A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo.
Lincoln Rolling In His Grave
Welcomed back to the House GOP fold by Speaker Kevin McCarthy and now a leading light in his conference, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) celebrated Presidents Day – which sadly lumps together Washington and Lincoln – by advocating for secession.
We’ve spent the last two years nonchalantly kicking around whether the 14th Amendment’s Insurrection Clause really means what it says and should be applied to the House Republicans who sanctioned, ratified, supported, and enabled Trump’s insurrection attempt. And now we have a sitting member of Congress using the occasion of Lincoln’s birthday to call for secession.
This is not a drill. This is not civics cosplay. This is where we are.
Kevin McCarthy’s Secret Pact With Tucker Carlson
Just days after legal filings confirmed (as if we needed it) the corrupt core of the Fox News apparatus, we learned that the speaker of the House is giving special access to the Capitol’s security footage from Jan. 6 to none other than Tucker Carlson. The new but not surprising revelation came from Axios’ Mike Allen.
Jan. 6 committee chair Bernie Thompson was having none of it:
Succinct headline: KEVIN MCCARTHY MAKES SENSITIVE SECURITY FOOTAGE AVAILABLE TO THE INSURRECTIONISTS’ PROPAGANDIST
Some Choice Cuts From The Dominion Lawsuit Against Fox News
So many juicy morsels from the epic Dominion filing last week in its defamation case against Fox News. In case you missed these:
- Trump tried to get on the air for Lou Dobbs show on Jan. 6:
- Fox News exec sent Mike “Pillow Guy” Lindell a make-up gift:
A fascinating detail about Fox’s relationship with MyPillow tycoon Mike Lindell, their most important advertiser — after Lindell insulted Fox in a Newsmax appearance, Fox sent him a gift and a handwritten note from their CEO to win him back. pic.twitter.com/twIh6sgLAT
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) February 17, 2023
Inside The Georgia Special Grand Jury Investigating Trump
The AP interviewed the foreperson of the Atlanta DA Fani Willis’ special grand jury.
James O’Keefe Resigns From Project Veritas
James O’Keefe went out in blaze of ridiculousness: a 45-minute video to staff in which he wiped away tears, quotedˆ Ayn Rand, and concluded with a paraphrase of Shakespeare’s Henry V (“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers and sisters.”)
Just a note that this may not yet be over. The feckless board of Project Veritas wants none of the blame nor the credit for O’Keefe leaving, according to the NYT:
But the board also left open the possibility of working things out with Mr. O’Keefe. “We did not fire him, nor do we want him to resign,” the board statement said. “We would like to continue conversations with James to resolve internal matters rather than litigate them publicly.”
Biden To Kyiv
A quick rundown of the weekend’s biggest surprise:
- Anne Applebaum: Biden Went to Kyiv Because There’s No Going Back
- The Tick Tock: Biden’s Surreal and Secretive Journey Into a War Zone
- PHOTOS
One somber note: Biden’s visit was significant on many levels, but the most concerning news of the past few days has been the emerging fear of China supplying Russia with more advanced and lethal weaponry:
Jimmy Carter Goes Home For The Last Time
The Carter Center announced the former president would eschew further medical treatment and spend his remaining days at home under hospice care.
At 98, Carter is the longest lived former President. At 77 years, his marriage to Rosalynn is the longest presidential marriage. It has been 42 year since Carter left the White House. To put that in some perspective, more time has passed since Carter left office than between World War II and his presidency.
Carter biographer Jonathan Alter offers his perspective on an “epic American life.”
Wisconsin Supreme Court Election Day
Your handy-dandy guides to today’s free-for-all primary election for a pivotal open seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which has been controlled by the GOP since 2008:
- 5 Points On The Wisconsin Election That Could Have Consequences For 2024
- A Ballot Initiative Incentive Seeks To Lure Out Republican Voters For Critical Wisconsin Court Election
Turkey Earthquake Death Toll Passes 46,000
The region where more than 46,000 have died since the historic Feb. 6 earthquake was rocked by a powerful 6.3 magnitude aftershock Monday.
Perfect: George Santos Talks To Piers Morgan!
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Our Coming Political Realignment, And The Political Realignment After That
This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news analysis.
The 117th Congress has only just begun, but it’s already providing a window into rapid shifts in our national politics. The impasse over Kevin McCarthy’s speakership was not only historic, it once again surfaced questions that have bubbled up repeatedly in recent years, about the cohesion of the GOP and the ways in which Trump era, intra-party skirmishes may be an indication of party realignment. The GOP’s worse-than-expected midterms showing in an election defined by baggage-laden, Trump endorsed candidates, and non-Trump conservatives’ angst over their 2024 presidential prospects, also suggest that something about the decades-old Republican coalition — which has brought together libertarians, evangelicals and military hawks — has to give.
Continue reading “Our Coming Political Realignment, And The Political Realignment After That”Who Can Ruin Their State The Best?
For some time now, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott have been locked in a high-stakes competition, using anything and anyone as props — including vulnerable migrants and children — to score points with Trump supporters and collect MAGA clout at a national level.
Continue reading “Who Can Ruin Their State The Best?”Biden Visits Kyiv
To the great distress of many MAGA Republicans, President Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv early this morning (U.S. time). Here are some of the most striking images.
Biden Makes Surprise Visit to Kyiv
Biden Makes Surprise Visit to Kyiv
Biden, Zelensky Tour Kyiv Under Heavy Guard
Biden, Zelensky at Presidential Palace
Biden Meets Zelensky, Ukraine First Lady
Biden Shakes Hands with Zelensky
Biden, Zelensky Speak Before Press
Biden In Kyiv
Biden, Zelensky Walk on Plaza outside St Michael’s Cathedral
Biden, Zelensky Walk on Plaza outside St Michael’s Cathedral
Biden, Zelensky Tour Kyiv
Biden, Zelensky Exchange Words
Biden, Zelensky Shake Hands
Biden Shakes Hands with Andriy Yermak
Biden, Zelensky Meet in Kyiv
Biden Shakes Hands with Minister of Defence Oleksii Reznikov
Biden, Zelensky in front of St Michael’s Cathedral
Biden, Zelensky at Presidential Palace
Biden, Zelensky at St Sophia Cathedral
