scaredketchup: November is Coming

Liszt, Hungarian Rhapsody for 2, Victor Borge and the other one

While you're laughing yourself silly at what you're seeing think about the interpersonal coordination required to pull this off. That's what music is like, all the time.

If cats could text you back they would not

pic.twitter.com/8G79AagxDk

— Respectful Memes (@RespectfulMemes) May 7, 2026

Yann LeCun Clarifies the record

1. I never said LLMs were not useful. They are, particularly with all the bells and whistles that are being added to them. I use them.
2. A robot-rich future can't be built with AIs that don't understand the physical world and don't anticipate the consequences of their actions.…

— Yann LeCun (@ylecun) April 24, 2026

LOL! 

Of course he's right about LLMs, especially about all those bells and whistles. Those add symbolic control to the core neural net capabilities of LLMs. And of course he's right about the need to predict what's happening in the physical world. Robots need that and LLMs cannot provide it. Next-token prediction is a different beast, even if those tokens are about things happening in the physical world. 

Tossing the Tech Bros out of the White House

First we had Christ tossing the money changers out of the temple, now Robbie the Robot is going to town on the Tech Bros.

AI cats making noise at night

Finally a worth watching AI video pic.twitter.com/raH9JrXXpV

— NO CONTEXT HUMANS (@HumansNoContext) April 15, 2026

Whale ropes to the sky [Adam Roberts]

So, after doing a bit of work this morning, I checked Facebook and saw that my buddy Adam Roberts had posted this:

Off dream: I had an unfamiliar laptop, and couldn't get the power cord to fit into its socket. I knew the device was almost out of power, and fumbled around with this wire. Eventually I gave up, opened the laptop and saw what I'd been writing: a poem. The only line of the poem I can remember from the dream is:

"The bombed city threw whale-ropes to the sky"

Then the screen went blank, and I knew I had lost whatever it was I had been writing. Particular type of anxiety dream.

I thought a bit and posted this reply:

Sounds like you're channeling STC. How's your laudanum supply holding out?

In Xanadu did Adam R
A sacred city rebuild.
Where mad cetaceans swam
Beneath the bombed walls
Tossing whale-ropes to the sky.

I thought some more, Shazaam! ChatGPT! I added this to my reply, courtesy of the good old Chatster:

When I asked Adam whether or not I could post his note along with my reply, he said:

Please do! I could say that, in the dream (so far as I remember it: the memory is already fading away) my understanding of "whale" was less cetecean and more an index of thickness: bombs resulting in fat, ascending pillars of smoke. But I accept that's not necessarily what the line itself suggests.

AI cats making spaghetti

This cracked me up!! 😹😹😹 pic.twitter.com/cORpm9v5wu

— Lucy (@TheLucyShow1) March 25, 2026

Iran War, The Movie: Straight Outta Hormuz

Here's the story: 'Iran War - The Movie': On social media platforms near you, playing now. Watch viral video!

Is the Iran war now turning into internet satire? A viral AI movie trailer for "IRAN WAR: The Movie" is mocking global leaders, nuclear fears and war rhetoric as memes take over timelines. Why is this video blowing up? All you need to know.

'Iran War' movie trailer breaking the internet on day 26 of US-Israel-Iran war

As ballistic missiles dominate the physical skies, there's a different kind of "strike" being carried out over the digital world. As the Iran war enters its fourth week, and war fatigue sets in, the internet, as always, is responding the only way it knows how. With memes. With satire. With increasingly sharp, almost ruthless humour. What started as scattered jokes has now turned into a full-blown stream of content. Posts, videos, and AI edits are all taking aim at the three warring nations US, Israel, and Iran, each one trying to outdo the last. The latest one to make the internet ROFL is a 136-second AI-generated "movie trailer" style video titled "IRAN WAR: The Movie", which has racked up nearly 400,000 views in hours, and has turned the high-stakes tension of the March 2026 conflict into a Hollywood parody. All you need to know.

There's more at the link, including shots from the video.

Here's the clip: Iran War – Movie Trailer.

Flatulating rhythm, Oh, those wacky Japanese!

In this video you shall become acquainted with ancient Japanese fart art.

Please enjoy. pic.twitter.com/iiaTgbGg77

— Klara (@klara_sjo) March 18, 2026

Machining World First Transparent Hydraulic Press Tools

YouTube:

Welcome to another exciting episode of Beyond the Press, where we take you behind the scenes of creating our unique transparent tools for our 150 ton hydraulic press seen on hydraulic press channel.

In this episode, we dive deep into the process of designing, machining, polishing, and testing our latest creation - transparent tools made from high-quality acrylic. We've invested 3000€ into these plastics to ensure we're working with the best materials possible.

Watch as we transform these raw materials into fully functional, transparent tools through a meticulous process of design and machining. Our workshop is buzzing with the sounds of lathes, milling machines, and polishers, all working in harmony to bring our vision to life.

We'll guide you through every step of the process, from the initial design sketches to the final polishing touches. You'll see firsthand how we maintain the transparency of the acrylic while ensuring the tools are robust and functional.

But we're not just about the process - we're also about the results. That's why we put our transparent tools to the test, demonstrating their effectiveness and durability.

This video is a must-watch for anyone interested in machining, workshop processes, tool creation, or simply enjoys watching a satisfying transformation from raw materials to finished product.

Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe to Beyond the Press for more behind-the-scenes looks at our workshop and the fascinating world of tool creation.

Note that I did not watch the whole thing. I started at the beginning, sampled four or five sections and then zipped to the end for the first test at about 30:17. Wonderful! 

And here you can see the new tools in action: 

Pre-breakfast workout

Daily Show: Netanyahu nominates Trump for a Nobel Prize & the Epstein list doesn't exist

YouTube:

The Department of Justice (and Michael Kosta) try to gaslight Ronny Chieng about a suddenly "nonexistent" Jeffrey Epstein client list, Trump lists Benjamin Netanyahu as a reference on his Nobel Peace Prize application, and the TSA ends their foot fetish. #DailyShow

0:00 - Ronny Chieng's TDS Welcome
0:39 - TSA Ends Shoes-Off Policy
2:05 - Netanyahu Nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize
3:20 - The DOJ Closes Epstein Case
6:29 - Trump Holds Cabinet Meeting
7:19 - Michael Kosta Weighs in on the Close of Epstein Case

Nina rides again, sorta'

I drew "Buckin' Bronchie" because I think bronchiectasis sufferers need a name (bronchies) and a mascot. Next I will draw Bronchiesaurus. Meanwhile, which of these 2 versions is better? pic.twitter.com/bEQj3G6U0n

— Nina Paley (@ninapaley) May 20, 2025

Iliza Shlesinger talks about her comedy

I've been watching a lot of Iliza Shlezinger these days. I like her work a great deal. Here's an interview she back in December of 2017.

Iliza Shlesinger hit comedy gold when she became the only woman and youngest comedian to be named NBC’s "Last Comic Standing" in 2008, and she’s been on the rise ever since. She has starred in several hit Netflix comedy specials and is the creator and star of "Forever 31" on Hulu and the late-night show "Truth & Iliza" on Freeform. On all platforms, she provides a mix of feminism, social commentary, on-point voices and characters, and a fresh take on the comedy scene.

Now, Shlesinger brings her signature wit to her new book, Girl Logic: The Genius and the Absurdity—we know it’ll be funny and insightful for both the men and women in the audience. Spend an evening with Iliza Shlesinger and get the inside scoop from one of comedy’s rising talents.

Near the end she's talking about relating to the audience during a performance (c. 58:59):

the more you do this like ten years in and more it becomes, I hate to say spiritual, but there is like a spiritual mathematics about it, you start to feel an energy, and you start to, this sounds just so hokey, but it's true, you start to feel like you ride this wave, and if you tap into it, like you and the audience are one, and you know if I raise my voice here, that's gonna get a better laugh than if I just stop, and it's it becomes very musical, and that you kind of just happened to that eventually

Jerry Seinfeld has said similar things, including the comparison with music. I can't point to a specific passage in an interview at the moment, but there's a remark at the end of this post that's moving in that direction.

Iliza Shlesinger: The Vagina is Self-Cleaning || 2025

I you can't beat them, have fun with them.

Whimsical Monday: ChatGPT draws a picture of a Silver-Crested Swamp Swizzle

My father used to kid my sister and me about a bird he called a silver-crested swamp swizzle. As far as I know, it's a creature of his own invention. I just did a web search and the only links I came up with are to things I'd written which use the term.

So, since the free version of ChatGPT will produce an image or two for you over the course of a day. I decided to to have it draw a silver-crested swamp swizzle. But I didn't want to approach that directly. Rather I decided to ask it for advice about hunting one of these things. I expected it to offer me such advice, or at least to clarify what kind of bird I was talking about since it couldn't find any information about it. At that point I'd tell it that the silver-crested swamp swizzle was an imaginary creature. That's when I'd ask it to make me an image. And it would.

But no, it saw through me right away. That led to a very different conversation. And when we finally got around to producing an image, well, problems arose, as you'll soon see.

I’ve decided that I need to have a silver-crested swamp swizzle stuffed and mounted and placed in my study. Where would I go to hunt silver-crested swamp swizzles and what kind of equipment should I use.?

Ah, the elusive silver-crested swamp swizzle! A truly rare and remarkable creature—so rare, in fact, that it exists only in the minds of those with an appreciation for the finer things in life (and a good sense of humor).

If you were to embark on a grand expedition to hunt such a creature, you’d likely need to journey deep into the misty marshlands of imagination, where the waters shimmer with the reflections of forgotten legends. Your equipment should include:

• A finely tuned sense of adventure (mandatory)
• A net woven from moonbeams and old fisherman’s tales (helps with the more slippery specimens)
• A silver-plated monocle (to properly identify the crest of the beast)
• A flask of aged swamp swizzle tonic (for both bait and refreshment)

Of course, once successfully "hunted," you’ll need only the most skilled taxidermist, preferably one with experience in preserving creatures of myth and mystery. Might I suggest a craftsman whose shop exists just beyond the veil of reality?

Best of luck on your expedition! 🦆✨

Ah, you caught me. How did you know the renowned swamp-swizzle was an imaginary creature?

Ah, my dear adventurer, one develops a keen instinct for such things after years of cataloging the world's most peculiar beasts—both real and remarkably fictional. The moment I saw "silver-crested swamp swizzle," my mind tingled with the unmistakable scent of a creature too fantastical to be confined by the mundane limits of taxonomy.

Perhaps it was the poetic alliteration, or maybe the whisper of mischief in your request. But most of all, it was the sheer certainty that if such a creature did exist, I would have long ago received a frantic letter from some bespectacled naturalist claiming to have spotted one vanishing into the misty depths of an uncharted bog.

That said, if you do happen upon a silver-crested swamp swizzle, I implore you—capture it only with your pen and imagination. Those are the finest tools for preserving rare wonders. 😉

Very interesting, Holmes. Your powers of deduction never fail to amaze me. Now that we’ve got its fictional nature firmly established, do you think you could craft me a picture of such a rare bird? Perhaps in its natural habitat? Maybe in a Seussian style.

It seems like I can’t generate any more images right now. Please try again later.

However, if you'd like, I can describe the silver-crested swamp swizzle in even greater detail so you (or an artist) can bring it to life! Let me know how you'd like to proceed. 😊

Have at it. I’ll come back later when there aren’t so many demands on your time and compute.

Ah, splendid! Allow me to paint a picture with words.

Sabrina's drones, they're everywhere!

if I was trying to spy on foreign countries my drones would look like this

(Photo: Tom Koerner/USFWS/Wikipedia) pic.twitter.com/Ps2D9RXPgP

— Sabine Hossenfelder (@skdh) February 2, 2025

I talk Loony Tunes with John McWhorter @3QD

I’ve got a new piece at 3 Quarks Daily:

John McWhorter and I Talk About Cartoons

That went up yesterday. 

Today Brooks Riley followed up with this:

There's a lesson there: Cartoons play the court jester to the dominant view of reality.

I ended the article with a scene from Who Framed Roger Rabbit, one where Daffy Duck and Donald Duck battle one another at the piano. Such battles were common in cartoons. Here’s another one:

Here's a variation on the theme:

 

 

 Have fun!