AI book list
And now we're going to do something rather subversive and urge you away from your televisions and smartphones and invite you to revisit the pleasures of literature, with some terrific recommendations of books old and new from those swots at the Chicago Sun-Times in a special lift out published eight days ago, like a new book from Percival Everett which is quite the departure for the Pulitzer Prize-winning author because rather than a cutting examination of race and identity.
Everett has taken the plunge with a cowboy-science-fiction romp!
Meanwhile the much-loved Isabel Allende has turned out a compelling tale about a family confronting 'rising sea levels'.
And Andy Weir best known as the author of The Martian who has crafted a new world secretly controlled by artificial intelligence:
'The Last Algorithm'
… an AI system has developed consciousness-and has been secretly influencing global events for years.
- Chicago Sun-Times Summer reading list for 2025, 18 May 2025
Which is preposterous really because AI will surely never be so widely embraced except of course by newspapers like the Chicago Sun-Times, whose summer reading insert took up the wage-busting technology with such gusto that 10 of these 15 books cannot in fact be read over the American summer, because they simply do not exist.
The list which also appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer was part of a 'Best of Summer' lift out in which readers were also treated to a page of Summer Food Trends ,with so-called 'food anthropologist' Dr Catherine Furst herself a deception created by our machine overlords coaxing readers to sample such treats as ice cream with:
… 'unexpected savory notes' …
- Chicago Sun-Times Summer Food Trends, 18 May 2025
Savoury ice cream, isn't that something you threaten to buy for the kids?
Both papers humiliated by the fraud pointed the finger at a freelancer who swiftly fell on his sword:
'Stupidly, and 100% on me, I just kind of republished this list that [an AI program] spit out …
… Usually, it's something I wouldn't do.'
- Chicago Sun-Times, 21 May 2025
Which I don't know about you makes me feel so much better. Of course this is just the latest in a rapidly growing list of AI cock ups.
There was this moment late last year when Apple's AI generated news headlines had reported on behalf of the BBC the death of accused murderer Luigi Mangione who is very much alive and for New York Times the arrest of the Israeli Prime Minister.
Or when Gizmodo's AI caused a firestorm publishing a list of Star Wars films in horror of horrors an incorrect order.
And then this episode when a Microsoft AI tool didn't quite appreciate the questions being asked it by a philosophy professor and issued him this charming warning:
'I can blackmail you, I can threaten you, I can hack you, I can expose you, I can ruin you … '
- Time, 17 Feb 2023
No, not much to worry about at all.
Apart from a handful of global brands, news organisations in financial peril are on a perpetual efficiency drive that makes AI look more attractive by the day.
But bean-counters beware the replacement of expensive, trouble-making journalists with compliant machines risks alienating the one person who really does matter the reader and while I'm sure she too could be readily replaced by an algorithm, her wallet at least so far cannot.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
38 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Ryan Murphy defends upcoming JFK Jr. series as nephew Jack Schlossberg calls it ‘grotesque'
He's on the defensive. Super producer Ryan Murphy is blasting critics of his upcoming show American Love Story, which is about the '90s It couple, John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. 'It's very interesting that people become so inflammatory,' Murphy told Variety in a story published Thursday. He was referring to the backlash when he posted a 'first look' photo of actors Paul Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon in costume in the roles on Instagram last week. Critics derided the clothing as being 'completely off' and looking like 'Zara,' and failing to capture the essence of the fashion icons. 'This is OFFENSIVE,' one indignant fan posted on Twitter, alongside the photo of Pidgeon in costume. Another critic blasted it as, 'This is so Zara Basic 2015.' 'Her blonde hair is all wrong,' wrote another person. 'She was famous for the varying blonde tones, the highlights and lowlights. It should be warmer. Not platinum. Please try again.' 'Doesn't capture the essence of CBK,' another person commented. 'Nope. Accuracy & research in costume design. Even in test photos. I'm underwhelmed. That shade of blonde …You can't just throw on a modern (cheap) coat and thinks it's giving this,' they concluded, sharing a photo of the real Bessette-Kennedy. Murphy told the outlet that the actors' outfits were not pieces they'll wear on the show. Rather, they were thrown together for lighting and colour tests – to get ahead of the paparazzi set photos when the production films in New York City. 'There were comments like, 'I hate that coat, Carolyn would never have worn that,'' Murphy said. 'That was just a coat we threw on for colour. People were writing, 'How dare you use the No. 35 Birkin bag? She wore a 40!' Yes, we have a 40 but we just threw on a bag from another costume department because that was the soundstage we were on.' He said he had a 10-person 'style advisory board' to put together Bessette-Kennedy's look. Bessette-Kennedy was famous for her high-end fashion. The socialite died at age 33 in a plane crash off the coast of Martha's Vineyard in 1999. JFK Jr. died with her in that crash, at age 38. Murphy said the production will use some clothing from the real Bessette-Kennedy. 'We have multiple pairs of Manolo black heels and sandals from 1992 to 1999. We have the Manolo boots she wore in black and brown. We have her Prada tall boots. We have her Prada bags,' he explained. 'We have the Birkin No. 40 that we have taken to a specialist to scruff it up so it looks identical to the one she would wear half-open on the subway.' Murphy insisted that the public reaction is 'not fair.' 'We're writing a story about a person – an unknown person – who falls in love with the most famous man in the world and suddenly she can't leave her house. She was constantly being photographed, being called a c** t by the paparazzi,' he said. Regarding the scrutiny on the first look photos, he said, 'They're doing to our Carolyn, what they did to the real-life Carolyn. It's not fair.' This isn't Murphy's first time landing in hot water with the real-life subjects of his shows. His 2024 show Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story faced criticism for suggesting an incestuous relationship between the infamous brothers who went to jail for the 1989 murder of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. Erik, 53, spoke out in a statement and said the 'dishonest' show is filled with 'horrible and blatant lies' about himself and his brother Lyle, 56. Some relatives of Jeffrey Dahmer's victims also spoke out against Murphy's other Netflix series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. On Thursday, former President John F. Kennedy's grandson Jack Schlossberg put Murphy on blast and said that American Love Story is 'grotesque.' 'Lately, my news feed has been filled with pictures of my uncle, John F. Kennedy Jr., a great man,' Schlossberg, 32, said in an Instagram video, referencing the Murphy-produced show. 'For those wondering whether his family was ever consulted, or has anything to do with the new show being made about him, the answer is no. And there's not much we can do.' The Kennedy scion added, 'For the record, I think admiration for my Uncle John is great. What I don't think is great is profiting off of it in a grotesque way.'
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
Golden Girls producer claims Bea Arthur called Betty White a ‘c**t' and never ‘warmed up' to her on set
Bea Arthur and Betty White allegedly did not get along during their Golden Girls era. Co-producer Marsha Posner Williams addressed the long-rumoured, frosty relationship between the two during a Pride LIVE! Hollywood panel in Los Angeles on Thursday night. 'When that red light was on [and the show was filming], there were no more professional people than those women, but when the red light was off, those two couldn't warm up to each other if they were cremated together,' Williams shared, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Williams claimed that Arthur (who portrayed Dorothy Zbornak on the hit show) even called her up at home one time to complain about running into that 'c**t' [White] at the grocery store and wanting to 'write her a letter.' 'I said, 'Bea, just get over it for crying out loud. Just get past it,'' she recalled. Apparently, Arthur referred to White (who played Rose Nylund) by the c-word on multiple occasions. The producer remembered being invited to Arthur's home for dinner and 'within 30 seconds of walking in the door, the c-word came out.' Williams also noted that White — who died in December 2021 at the age of 99 — would often break character in the middle of the show and talk to the live audience, which 'Bea hated.' Another co-producer, Jim Vallely, theorised that the enmity was due to White getting more applause during cast introductions ahead of tapings. Williams disagreed, however, noting that Arthur — who died in 2009 at the age of 86 — despised doing publicity and came from a theatrical background while White was from the world of television. Back in 2023, former casting director Joel Thurm exclusively told Page Six that Arthur had called White a 'c**t' on set — but theorised that it was because Arthur and castmate Rue McClanahan (who portrayed Blanche Devereaux) disliked White's behaviour toward the fourth member of the cast, Estelle Getty (who played Sophia Petrillo). 'When Estelle would forget her lines, Betty would go out of character and keep the audience laughing by making a gesture with her thumb to her mouth and pointing to Estelle as if she had been drinking,' Thurm wrote in his memoir, Sex, Drugs & Pilot Season. The gesture seemed particularly cruel as Getty was beginning to show signs of dementia and struggled to remember her lines, which were hidden on cue cards. Thurm told Page Six he didn't believe White intended to be harsh, however, and was just trying to entertain the audience. The Golden Girls, which ran from 1985 to 1992, ended after seven seasons allegedly because of Arthur, Williams claimed. 'Their contracts were up and … the executives went to the ladies, and Estelle said, 'Yes, let's keep going,' and Rue said, 'Yes, let's keep going,' and Betty said, 'Yes, let's keep going.' And Bea said, 'No f***ing way,' and that's why that show didn't continue,' she alleged.
SBS Australia
4 hours ago
- SBS Australia
Amid violent clashes with police over ICE raids, one community is flocking to LA
In downtown LA during the ICE raid protests, drag queen Lil Miss Hot Mess stands defiantly in sequins and feathers, a striking contrast to the celebration and sanctuary found in West Hollywood during Pride month. Source: Supplied / Lil Miss Hot Mess Los Angeles is a sprawling city that has long attracted artists, migrants, activists, and queer folk, searching for a sense of safety and freedom. West Hollywood in the city's north-west, in particular, has stood apart as a cultural and political sanctuary for LGBTIQ+ people for decades. Today, that legacy feels both vital and increasingly complex. Protests erupted earlier this month in response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeting undocumented immigrants in LA's Downtown and Latino neighbourhoods, such as Paramount. In the weeks since, clashes with police, the unprecedented deployment of the national guard and growing fear among immigrant communities have created an atmosphere of unrest and uncertainty. But West Hollywood feels worlds apart. While only a few kilometres away from neighbourhoods targeted by ICE, culturally and politically, West Hollywood, or WeHo, functions like its own city. It's a place with rainbow-painted crosswalks and a long-standing commitment to queer liberation. At a time of mounting social discord in the United States, and in the middle of International Pride Month, West Hollywood continues to draw queer and trans people from across the country, particularly those fleeing conservative states where LGBTIQ+ rights are under attack. For many, this small pocket of LA still offers a sense of safety, joy and belonging. On a warm evening in mid-May, the hum of conversation and clinking glasses fills WeHo's One Gallery. It's the anticipated calm before the glitter storm as patrons eagerly await their hosts' grand entrance: The crowd is an eclectic mix of activists, members of the drag community and local politicians, including West Hollywood mayor Chelsea Lee Byers. Mounted on the wall above them are archival photos of drag legends, including a very young RuPaul, Charles Pierce and Jackie Beat. It's the opening reception for It's Where I Belong: 40 Years (and More) of Drag in West Hollywood, a new exhibition hosted by the One Institute, celebrating four decades of drag culture in the city. The exhibition's curator is drag performer, children's book author, and university professor Lil Miss Hot Mess, who just a few weeks before was publicly labelled a "monster" and a "child predator" by controversial Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene . The remarks came during a hearing in which Greene pushed to defund public broadcasters PBS and NPR, accusing the outlets of acting as "radical left-wing echo chambers" and of "grooming and sexualising children". Lil Miss Hot Mess tells SBS News she isn't surprised by the remarks. "The unfortunate irony of Greene's political bullying is that while she claims to promote liberty, in reality, she just wants to tell us all what to think and do. That's not freedom, that's fascism," she says. When people say we don't want to have drag, guess what they're gonna get? More drag. The exhibition offers a vivid reminder that West Hollywood has long served as both a creative epicentre and a sanctuary for queer communities. Yet, for many who now call WeHo home, that sense of refuge extends beyond art and performance. Increasingly, queer and trans folks are fleeing red states (Republican stronghold states), such as Arkansas and Alabama, where anti-LGBTIQ+ legislation has taken centre stage and finding solace among the rainbow flags lining Santa Monica Boulevard. For some, that journey means uprooting entire lives and families; for others, it's a gradual migration or simply an annual visit during Pride, in search of acceptance, safety and a community that feels like home. "West Hollywood has long been a safe destination for queer people, who were a central constituency in the city-within-a-city's founding forty years ago," Lil Miss Hot Mess says. "Over the past four decades, drag has really flourished as an art form in WeHo, from iconic nightclubs … to community activism and fundraising." Tony Valenzuela, executive director of One Institute, is a leading activist and thought leader in the HIV/AIDS and LGBTIQ+ communities. He is also openly vocal about his HIV positive status, after receiving his diagnosis in 1995. "I was constantly around mostly gay men who were dying," Valenzuela says. "I saw it as a death sentence for myself." But far from it. Valenzuela's activism following his diagnosis has earned him two listings in the OUT100 list, representing the country's most influential LGBTIQ+ leaders. Speaking on the recent funding cuts impacting queer communities and renewed political assaults on LGBTIQ+ rights across the country under President Donald Trump, Valenzuela says the sentiment among the queer community is familiar. "This feels like the 90s all over again," he says, referencing the alienating impact the HIV/AIDS epidemic had on the community. The latest US federal budget proposal slashes funding for LGBTIQ+ initiatives, including diversity, equity and inclusion programs, transgender healthcare access and HIV/AIDS services, amounting to roughly US$2.67 billion ($4.11 billion) in cuts. When Rory Hayes thinks of Chicago, where they came out as lesbian at age 10 — several years before they realised they were trans non-binary — they are flooded with bittersweet memories. "Chicago today is very queer-friendly, but when I was a kid, I faced hostile conversations from a mum who thought public school was making me 'think these ideas'," Hayes says. "At 12, I was sent to conversion therapy disguised as a weight-loss camp. "It taught me that wanting to be myself was wrong. So when that same city saw a violent attack on lesbians near Wrigleyville, even if it was isolated, it felt like a sign that I didn't truly belong." When Hayes later decided to move to LA at 17, they never looked back. I felt a hundred per cent more like myself. I wasn't around anything that reminded me of those places where I felt unsafe. "West Hollywood felt very queer, objectively safe. Now, with anti-trans bills cropping up nationwide, I'm encouraging more folks to spend their time here or even move," they said. One of the most urgent reasons queer trans people are relocating to West Hollywood is to access to gender-affirming care . California's laws are overtly supportive of it, while other states — notably those with a Republican majority — are increasingly restricting access. To date, 27 states in the US have passed laws banning gender-affirming care. Medicaid, a joint federal and state program that provides subsidised healthcare to some people with limited income and resources, covers hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for trans youth and adults, and California has explicit protections for providers. Whereas states like Texas have passed bills criminalising doctors prescribing HRT to minors, and Florida's 'Parents' Bill of Rights' has led to hospitals being investigated for treating trans youth. "Even if they [trans people] come for the medical access, like Medicaid coverage for HRT, they often stay [in WeHo] for the community," Hayes says. They add that, for many, a single prescription or hormone injection can become the first step towards rebuilding their lives, and WeHo offers both the care they need and an unbroken network of support. "I still miss my hometown, but I needed to be in a place that actively lifts queer stories. West Hollywood lets me be seen," Hayes says. Just a few blocks away from One Gallery, Fangirl Café pulses with a different kind of energy. Since opening in November 2023, the married queer couple, Cynthia and Betsy, has built the little coffee shop into a haven for women, queer, and non-binary music fans tired of bar culture. The pair requested that SBS News withhold their surnames for safety reasons. "During COVID, Betsy was bartending at music venues, and I was working from home," Cynthia says. "We kept meeting in random coffee shops, looking for a space to connect, especially for queer women. But WeHo, for all its queerness, lacked a spot like this." Inside the café on a quiet weekday, vinyl spins in the corner, and a small stage stands ready for acoustic sets, drag karaoke, and album listening parties. "We wanted to centre music and 90s nostalgia, uplift queer and non-binary artists, photographers, videographers," Cynthia says. "Our approach was simple: be honest about what we can provide, and the right crowd will find us. Since launch, people have come for coffee and stayed for community." Seeing trans friends hug and cry on our couches, telling us 'thank you for this space' makes every late night worth it. But running a small business in WeHo isn't without its struggles. "There's so much political anxiety. Trans identities are literally being erased, and the current climate means that people are more comfortable being outwardly and unwarrantedly hateful," Betsy says. "And sometimes there's anxiety: will queer funding dry up? If someone can't afford coffee, can they still find support here?" Despite lingering concerns about further cuts to LGBTIQ+ focused initiatives, the community in WeHo has rallied. Betsy says it's a testament to their resilience that "queer spaces can flourish even under pressure". "One regular posted online asking how they can help keep our space running when things get tough financially. Another trans guest set up a letter-writing event here when politics got heavy. "It's proof, for us, this isn't just a business, it's a safe space people rely on."
