Holey Cow, as we all know, is a handmade, semi-soft cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk, produced by the Central Coast Creamery in Paso Robles, California. Similar to Swiss cheese, it has small round shape openings (called holes) throughout — just like this newsletter. Silent Night, meanwhile, is a Christmas carol, and it's only two days away now! Your cheddlines: All is calm, all is bright. —Matt Davis, Need2Know Chedditor |
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"There's a clear breach." — Justice James Mellor |
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1. You Can Now Call ChatGPT (and You Don't Even Have to Text First) |
OpenAI has announced a new service allowing users to interact with its ChatGPT bot via a simple phone call, if you can remember how to do those. By dialing 1-800-CHATGPT, anyone can dive into a conversation with an AI over a regular phone line.
The main goal of implementing the service is to simplify the user experience. Users who are new to AI, or perhaps intimidated by app-based technology such as keyboards, can now have a direct conversation with one of the most sophisticated AIs, all without any downloads or special equipment other than a basic phone, even a rotary, if you missed the last 40 or 50 upgrades. The service is especially beneficial for older generations, individuals in rural or underserved regions where internet connectivity is unreliable, or subscribers to reasonably high-quality newsletters such as Need2Know.
When CNN tested the service, the AI provided a recipe for chocolate chip cookies and a summary of the Civil War but maintained a formal tone without engaging in personal conversation. It even added, "I don't have feelings, but I do find my job pretty interesting."
Because I have a journalism degree and once won awards for reporting on police corruption, I decided to call it up and ask it what the true meaning of Christmas is.
"The true meaning of Christmas can vary for different people," ChatGPT said, after I'd agreed to its terms and conditions. "For some, it's a religious celebration honoring the birth of Jesus Christ. For others it's a season of family, giving and goodwill. For others, it's about a mix of festive traditions and good fun."
Then it asked me, "What does Christmas mean to you?"
And that's when I hung up because I didn't want the robots to learn how special the movie Die Hard is. Read More |
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2. Multiple Strikes Happening During Holiday Season |
Workers from Amazon and Starbucks have walked off their jobs, initiating strikes in several U.S. cities. As of last Thursday and Friday, Amazon delivery drivers and Starbucks baristas initiated strikes to pressure their employers into recognizing their unionization efforts or to commence negotiations for labor contracts.
The strikes are not isolated incidents but part of a broader wave of labor actions that have seen unions at Boeing, dockworkers, and hotel workers secure significant benefits from their employers. Amazon continues to resist acknowledging its workers' efforts to unionize — particularly the delivery drivers and warehouse workers. Conversely, Starbucks had initially shown resistance but has agreed to negotiate, signaling a potential shift as deadlines for agreements draw near.
Striking during the holiday season is a strategic choice. The period of increased economic activity means disruptions can have amplified effects, offering leverage to the workers. These labor actions are also more than just disputes over contracts; they are indicative of a broader movement toward securing better pay, benefits, and working conditions. They also reflect a strategic urgency by unions to gain ground before potential political shifts that could disadvantage union efforts. Perhaps you can call ChatGPT on the phone and ask what those might be. Read More |
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| Could Toyota's basketball-playing robot be the future of the game? 🤖🏀 CUE just set a world record for the longest basketball shot by a humanoid robot. Did it go in? Guess you're gonna have to watch the 'gram. |
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3. Phoenix Suns Owner Announces $2 Concessions Menu |
Phoenix Suns owner Matt Ishbia paid a record $4 billion for the NBA team last year, but the man still knows the value of a bargain. Ishbia has announced a groundbreaking initiative aimed at making NBA games more accessible for families: a new $2 value menu for all home games at the Footprint Center.
Under the new scheme, fans attending Suns games will enjoy substantial savings on various concession items. Essentials like hot dogs, previously priced at $9, and 16-ounce bottles of Dasani water, formerly $8.50, will now be available for just $2 each. The price cuts extend to other popular snacks including a 16-ounce fountain soda, a bag of chips, and a bag of popcorn — each previously sold for over $6 but now also tagged at $2.
Ishbia has openly criticized the high cost of concessions, which can deter families. My question is: How can they afford to offer them for $2? Is the rest of that markup all pure profit? If so, how can I get a license for a concession stand at an NBA arena?
The whole thing seems cool, but with tickets to see the Suns play two days after Christmas going for...only...$85, I could take my whole family along for, what, $255, and we could then save huge amounts on our snacks!
By the time I get to Phoenix, she'll be risiiiiiiiiing.... Read More |
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4. Man Who Did Not Invent Bitcoin Keeps Suing People, Claiming He Invented Bitcoin |
You know what's really dumb? Falsely claiming you invented something hugely valuable and then suing people for a trillion dollars over intellectual property breaches, even after a judge has ordered you not to.
In entirely related news, an Australian computer scientist who falsely claimed to be the founder of Bitcoin has been sentenced to a year in prison for defying an earlier court order warning him to stop making those false claims. Justice James Mellor in London said Craig Wright had committed "a clear breach" of an order in March that barred him from launching or threatening further legal action related to Bitcoin.
Instead of doing following said order, Wright has since issued claims worth more than $1 trillion suing crypto firms for violating his intellectual property rights. Lawyers for the Crypto Open Patent Alliance, a group of technology and cryptocurrency firms, said Wright's actions constituted contempt of court. Mellor said it was "beyond any reasonable doubt" that Wright had indeed been in contempt of the court order.
Wright has said he planned to appeal the contempt finding. For eight years, Wright had claimed that he was the man behind "Satoshi Nakamoto," the pseudonym that masked the identity of the creator of bitcoin. Wright, who first claimed he was Nakamoto in 2016, has been accused of seeking to profit from Bitcoin's huge spike in value, but without, you know, owning lots of Bitcoin. The only problem with those claims is that they're made up. Throw another falsehood on the barbie, Craig! Read More |
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5. Inside Remedy Place, Allegedly the World's First 'Social Wellness Club' |
From hyperbaric chambers to $155 bottles of Amazonian water, will Soho's luxurious new tech-remedy studio shape the future of wellness?
Remedy Place, which professes to be the world's first "social wellness club," was founded by Jonathan Leary, an alternative-medicine specialist who was dissatisfied with conventional medical approaches to wellness. So his club offers a social setting where cutting-edge technology and holistic methods are combined, for a very high fee.
The club offers a variety of tech remedies in its expansive 7,000-square-foot space, including hyperbaric chambers, infrared saunas, cutting-edge fitness studios, IV drip suites, and ice baths. The Remedy Roller, an automatic foam rolling device with red light technology, and the cryotherapy experience, which involves being exposed to -160 degree temperatures for a short period, are two of the club's other standout features.
Remedy Place also provides bottle service, but instead of serving vintage Champagne, or even non-vintage Champagne, they offer a carefully curated selection of water.
The club also caps its membership model at only 200 people per location. Members receive quarterly health assessments, personalized supplement plans, and access to various professionals, including acupuncturists, in-house chiropractors, and nurses.
Membership costs from $750 to $4,500 per month, and I wish you all the best with it. Personally I would never want to belong to any club, no matter what the cost, that would accept me as a member. Read More |
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