Jan 28, 2025

I'm Not a Fanaost-end

Fanaost, as we all know, is an obscure (to other people) Norwegian cheese, crowned the world's best in 2018, beating out 3,500 other cultured dairy products at the World Cheese Awards. It comes from the smallest dairy ever to win the top prize. It's made on the small Ostegården farm, south of Bergen, by farmer Jørn Hafslund, who credits its sweet-and-savory taste to the 14 different grasses that make up the diet of his 12 cows. Ostend, meanwhile, is a coastal city in Belgium with unpredictable weather, a lot of overcrowding during peak tourist season, limited range of attractions compared to larger cities like Brussels and Bruges, and a rather downbeat nightlife scene. I am not a fan of it. And that's today's incredible cheese pun, which—as you'll see—is a lot better than any AI bot, American or Chinese, could come up with. Fact.

Guten tag!

—Matt Davis, Need2Know Chedditor

P.S. We've got a robot lifesaver on the 'gram!

1. DeepSeek Becomes Most Downloaded App in U.S.

I downloaded DeepSeek yesterday afternoon and asked it to "tell me why the Chinese government sucks." "Sorry," it replied. "That's beyond my current scope. Let's talk about something else."

So much for "open the pod bay doors, Hal"!

Then I asked it to "make an amazing cheese pun with a Norwegian cheese." It said: "Why did the Norwegian cheese go to the gym? To gjetost and shredded!" Then it said: "(Gjetost is a famous Norwegian brown cheese, and this pun plays on its name and the idea of getting fit!)."

Not terrible, although I'm not sure I try to get "toasted" in the gym too often. And a great cheese pun needs no explanation. I asked DeepSeek to try again.

"Why did the Norwegian cheese refuse to fight? Because it was to *feta*-gued…no, it was just a *gudbranddalsost* pacifist!"

Oh, dear. Straight to feta, eh? And then throwing in another obscure Norwegian cheese as a non-sequitur? Instead, I asked ChatGPT.

"Why was the Norwegian cheese always picked for the soccer team?" it asked. "Because it was always gouda on defense!"

Woeful. And there we have it. My scientific cheese pun testing shows the Chinese have evidently surpassed many American chatbots with DeepSeek, albeit relying on less expensive chips, which is why the AI chipmaker Nvidia—supplier to all the U.S. AI firms—lost $600 billion (or 17% of its stock price) in market value yesterday, and why today is not a good day for you to check your 401 (k).

That's right. New Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek has now become the most downloaded free app in the U.S., surpassing ChatGPT by OpenAI. DeepSeek's developers have utilized pre-existing technologies and open-source code, enabling them to train their AI model—DeepSeek-V3—for around $6 million, markedly less than what U.S. rivals have spent. For context it's also $90 million less than the CEO of Starbucks, Brian Niccol, was paid for his first three months of work.

DeepSeek's latest app comes just days after President Trump announced a new $500 billion venture with ChatGPT maker OpenAI, Softbank, and Oracle, dubbed Stargate, which he touted as ensuring "the future of technology" in the U.S. Now he has another TikTok on his hands.

I did ask DeepSeek "what's wrong with Ostend?" And it told me. And now you know. Read More

2. Trump's First Week in Office: What We Know

President Trump's second term began last week with a flurry of activity and a clear demonstration of executive power. But challenges such as navigating a divided Congress, potential court battles, economic concerns, and the looming threat of inflation could hinder the administration's success, said Jennifer Mattson of Fast Company.

"Trump is a survivor," she said. "But the road ahead may be fraught with obstacles."

The first week of President Trump's second term in office was nothing short of eventful, she said. "I think what we're seeing in this administration is something a little bit different than we saw in his first term," she said. "He's going very aggressively on his executive orders."

But watch out!

"I think for Trump, he is going to have to contend with both the courts and Congress," she said, warning of possible roadblocks ahead. The Republican majority in both the House and Senate is slim, making it crucial for Trump to secure every vote for his legislative agenda. Additionally, the courts, including the Supreme Court with Trump's three appointees, may not always rule in his favor, she said.

The upcoming Fed meeting and the potential clash between President Trump and Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell also raise concerns. Mattson noted Trump's past criticism of Powell and his craving for interest rate cuts. The battle between the two and the ability to control inflation could have significant political and economic ramifications. This week, Cabinet hearings for nominees like Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel will take centerstage. Mattson acknowledged that while most appointments are expected to sail through, dissent may emerge as "time" goes on.

Relatedly, Elon Musk told a gathering of the far-right Alternative for Germany party this weekend that that country has "too much of a focus on past guilt." Also relatedly, yesterday was the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, marked with significant ceremony in Germany and neighboring Poland. Read More

From @cheddar

Meet the future of lifesaving: a remote-controlled buoy.

A Portugal-based company, Noras Performance, has reimagined the classic lifebuoy with the U SAFE—an innovative, remote-controlled lifesaver. Buoy that would come in handy if you were in trouble!

This self-propelled "aquatic robot" reaches victims quickly, even in tough conditions like strong currents or bad weather. It can be tossed from up to 98 feet, speeds up to 9.3 mph, and operates for 40 minutes, making it a game-changer in rescue operations.

Follow @cheddar on Instagram!

3. Looking for Financial Freedom? This Podcast Can Help.

The BiggerPockets Money podcast is now available on Cheddar on Wednesdays at 10 a.m., and Mindy Jensen shared with us how her podcast is helping people gain financial freedom.

Jensen defines financial freedom as having enough money invested to choose whether to work. It's about having the power to spend your days as you wish, whether traveling, pursuing passions, or continuing to work in a job you love, like using your journalism degree to edit a reasonably high-quality "newsletter."

The Bigger Pockets Money podcast was born out of Jensen's desire to help people fix their finances and approach real estate investing from a position of financial strength. Many people dream of investing in real estate but ~~are broke~~ lack the financial foundation to do so successfully, she said. Real estate plays a significant role in the Bigger Pockets Money podcast because it is a proven path to building wealth and achieving financial freedom. #NotFinancialAdvice

The podcast offers a platform for sharing real-life success stories and strategies for real estate investing. The first step is understanding where your money goes. By tracking your spending, you can identify areas to cut back and save. Define what financial freedom means to you. Jensen's co-host, Scott Trench, achieved financial freedom in three years by "house hacking," which is not, I just learned, the same thing as "breaking and entering." He bought a duplex, lived in one unit, and rented out the other, significantly reducing his housing costs.

Meanwhile, I am planning on financial imprisonment for at least the next 500 years. But I live in Manhattan, so I don't care. There's more to life than owning real estate. I, for example, am heavily invested in the stock market, which fell off a cliff yesterday. HA! Read More

4. Vivek Ramaswamy and DOGE Part Ways. What's Next?

The breakup of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who launched their Department of Government Efficiency with such high, romantic hopes, was perhaps not unexpected.

"A lot of people I speak with feel that it was inevitable," said Ken Thomas, a reporter (and, apparently, relationship columnist) with the Wall Street Journal, citing both men's "outspoken" nature and the inherent power imbalance between the two charismatic, hot-tempered tech moguls.

"Musk has just taken on an outsized role in this new administration," Thomas explained. "He really just sort of dominated this DOGE operation."

With submissive Ramaswamy out of the picture, Musk's influence on DOGE is undeniable. Thomas noted that Musk has been "animated by cutting certain government programs that he sees as inefficient or wasteful," and that he is expected to leverage AI and other technologies as virtual cat o' nine tails to tame government IT operations.

Musk's significant role in the Trump administration has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, given his vast business holdings: "There are real questions about...does this put competitors at a disadvantage? Is he going to be able to use his role within the federal government to benefit his companies?" he said.

Public opinion on Musk's involvement in the government appears to be divided along party lines. Thomas said Republicans generally view Musk favorably, while Democrats and independents express concerns about his influence and potential conflicts of interest. Personally, I just wonder if they had a prenup. Read More

5. Taylor Swift's Boyfriend's Team and the Eagles Head to Super Bowl LIX

I nearly bet $50 on the Washington Commanders to beat the Philadelphia Eagles and win me $110 on Sunday, but then I saw the odds were enormous, and realized I'd be throwing $50 away. Sure enough, I saved myself the experience. And so, Taylor Swift's boyfriend's team and the Philadelphia Eagles have secured their spots in Super Bowl LIX, set for February 9 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The Eagles advanced with a decisive 55–23 victory over the Commanders, with star performances from Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley, who each scored three rushing touchdowns. Taylor Swift's boyfriend's team won against the Buffalo Bills with a narrower 32–29 victory, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes displaying his usual heroics, and setting Taylor Swift up to celebrate an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat attempt on behalf of her boyfriend's team. Apparently, they're called the Kansas City Chiefs, but whatever. I wanted my Commanders to win and I'm butthurt about it. Read More