Comments on: Open thread 3/28/2025

By: Selfy

Selfy — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 04:32:10 +0000

https://www.bizpacreview.com/2026/03/28/secret-service-agent-assigned-to-jill-biden-reportedly-shoots-himself-in-the-butt-1629709/

By: om

om — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 15:17:00 +0000

I mentioned to a Democrat friend at church that I saw the “No Kinks” rallies on the web and they all looked and acted like normal people. He replied that there were reported to be 8 million (?) out there. To which I said “You get what you pay for.”

By: huxley

huxley — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 05:58:35 +0000

Re: The Other Simon Cowell

Is a conservationist, who dedicated the latter part of his life to helping wildlife. He created an organization called Wildlife Aid, which was dedicated mostly to rescuing wildlife and returning them to the wild.

He had a TV show on “Animal Planet” titled “Wildlife S0S.” He became a recognized figure in the UK and was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

Here’s a segment which made it to YouTube in which he has to fight off an angry Dad Swan while rescuing the Kid who got stuck in a chain-link fence. Dad wasn’t happy at all!

–“Cygnet rescue – Simon beaten up by an angry swan”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxd53ykmTvc

Simon marvels at how wonderfully protective swans are of their young.

By: huxley

huxley — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 04:37:43 +0000

At first I thought the images were based on actual film clips of those Oscar moments. Upon closer examination I believe the clips are mostly AI though based upon photographs.

I’m fond of these shorts in a similar vein:

–“Legendary Rock Guitarists and Their Iconic Guitars”
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/skurKlxhrh8

Fun. I like to play Name That Guitar before the answer appears.

By: Wendy K Laubach

Wendy K Laubach — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 22:58:37 +0000

Trust Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly to rock a dress.

By: Paul in Boston

Paul in Boston — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 20:48:36 +0000

I find the faces very similar to each other, more pasted on than real. Watch this AI version of Alice and you’ll see what I mean.

https://youtu.be/YFXO56fto74?si=La5FlkA07vM6KnYr

By: om

om — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 20:47:32 +0000

Is there enough existing rubble in Houthi-land to make a good bounce? The Houthi leaders will soon find out what it means to be mist.

I expect that we have anticipated their foolishness.

By: John Galt III

John Galt III — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 19:55:56 +0000

I grew up on 1930 to 1950 movies as I am near 80 years old and so many of these actresses when they were young were only in black and white movies.

Seeing them with their real eye and hair color is so much fun. Greer Garson is one of my favorites and it’s fun to see her with her red hair and beautiful eyes. The movie she was in for the Oscar was in Black and White.

By: Jon Baker

Jon Baker — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 19:07:25 +0000

So the Houthis are back in to play.

By: Selfy

Selfy — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 16:56:05 +0000

“A teacher-free AI school is coming to Chicago”

There are no teachers, just “guides” to motivate students. Lessons, delivered through AI-powered software, are condensed into two hours. The rest of the day, students engage in an array of workshops, from building robots to scaling obstacle courses. It comes with a hefty price tag: $55,000 a year.
[snip]
She acknowledges there is selection bias — that students with the financial means to attend often have greater resources to succeed academically — but says she is looking to change it. At Alpha’s flagship school in Texas, for example, more than 40% of students receive financial aid.

Alpha applied for charter status in 10 states, which would have made tuition free, but it was rejected in all but one, Price said.
[snip]
“Is this what the voucher lobby is pushing for?” said Pankaj Sharma, secretary-treasurer of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, in a statement to the Tribune. “Exorbitant tuition for a school with a MAGA founder, no teachers … No thank you.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/28/chicago-artificial-intelligence-school/