WTF-Beta

You guys eat well....

In some ways, Gigi is like any other young social media influencer.

With perfect hair and makeup, she logs on and talks to her fans. She shares clips: eating, doing skin care, putting on lipstick. She even has a cute baby who appears in some videos.

But after a few seconds, something may seem a little off.

She can munch on pizza made out of molten lava, or apply snowflakes and cotton candy as lip gloss. Her hands sometimes pass through what she's holding.

That's because Gigi isn't real. She's the AI creation of University of Illinois student Simone Mckenzie - who needed to make some money over the summer.

Ms Mckenzie, 21, is part of a fast-growing cohort of digital creators who churn out a stream of videos by entering simple prompts into AI chatbots, like Google Veo 3. Experts say this genre, dubbed "AI slop" by some critics and begrudging viewers, is taking over social media feeds.

And its creators are finding considerable success.

"One video made me $1,600 [£1,185] in just four days," Ms Mckenzie said. "I was like, okay, let me keep doing this."

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce3wyplnev1o

Fascinating.

More than 20% of the videos that YouTube’s algorithm shows to new users are “AI slop” – low-quality AI-generated content designed to farm views, research has found.

The video-editing company Kapwing surveyed 15,000 of the world’s most popular YouTube channels – the top 100 in every country – and found that 278 of them contain only AI slop.

Together, these AI slop channels have amassed more than 63bn views and 221 million subscribers, generating about $117m (£90m) in revenue each year, according to estimates.

The researchers also made a new YouTube account and found that 104 of the first 500 videos recommended to its feed were AI slop. One-third of the 500 videos were “brainrot”, a category that includes AI slop and other low-quality content made to monetise attention.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/dec/27/more-than-20-of-videos-shown-to-new-youtube-users-are-ai-slop-study-finds

I really don't watch many YT videos, the exceptions being cooking or crocheting stuff. Something came up in the sidebar about an animal story and I clicked on it. It became clear pretty quickly that it was AI, which I confirmed by looking at the description, which said it was AI -generated.

This is crazy.

Iran launched three domestically built observation satellites into space from Russia on Sunday, state television reported, marking a new step for Tehran's space program despite Western sanctions.

Western countries fear that these satellite launch systems incorporate technologies interchangeable with those used in ballistic missiles, potentially capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

Tehran denies those accusations and refutes that it is trying to acquire nuclear weapons.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/12/28/iran-says-it-launched-3-satellites-into-space-from-russia-a91567

The ayatollahs’ grip is weakening. Who can replace them is less clear

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/the-ayatollahs-grip-is-weakening-who-can-replace-them-is-less-clear/

In a nearby suburb, a critter does what it was born to do.

https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/fmc-1acbbiqidajexr23

@Piano-Dad said in Who’s decorating for the holidays?:

Not me. We're out in Las Vegas preparing to welcome granddaughter Raven on New Year's Eve!

Ahem. Is there something you’d like to announce?

BBC's list of 12 books to read in 2026.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2e6nw1w40o

That is great!!!

@adagiom - Congratulations on keeping important issues front and center, and doing something positive to change things.

Dear Britain: things are bad, but America will recover from Donald Trump. Just give us three years

When the president targeted me and my TV show, millions said no. So don’t give up on us – and always remember, we’re not all like him

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/25/jimmy-kimmel-christmas-message-trump

@andyd - are you out catching Boxing Day deals?

@Mark said in Merry Christmas All:

I also got her a Lego F1 car modeled after the recent McLaren car. Again opened with the excitement of when she was little.

Way to go, @mark ! What a thoughtful present.

Reminds me of my dad...just before I graduated from college he asked me if there was anything I had wanted when I was a child but that I never got. I told him I had always wanted a flashlight. For whatever reason, I thought the idea of having portable light was just so cool.

On my graduation day in 1978 he gave me this:

I still have it and every time I use it, it reminds me of what a great dad he was.

@AndyD Thanks for the recipe! I still have potatoes from my garden. I think I'll prepare them a la Andy to go with tonight's chicken!

Just finished watching the King's Christmas message on BBC News.

@Steve-Miller said in Who's cooking / baking for the holidays?:

Rib bones are from last night and also have a lot of meat on them.

I'm drooling....

@Steve-Miller said in Merry Christmas All:

I haven’t seen a ham like that for sale in decades.

Me either, till last week. Saw "fresh ham" at one of the international markets.

Interestingly, the Sam's Club carries beef tongue, tripe, and something else that's not common these days, maybe beef heart? I caught a cheapo Sam's membership and thought we'd check it out. Won't renew next year but they have some interesting stuff.

@AndyD said in Merry Christmas All:

Anyone else improvise a Christmas tune on the ivories?
We're about to eat, a full goose, & rather large gammon (that says it feeds 14).
So with six round the table we'll be eating sarnies till Monday

We both speak English. Okay, so I speak American, but...I had to look up two words in the post.

So...ham and/or goose sandwiches from the leftovers?

That photo of the dinner table laden with food ...OMG, scrumptious!

@Steve-Miller

This recipe is pretty close to ours, though uur version skips the ham, at least for Christmas Eve.

https://valentinascorner.com/olivier-salad-recipe-russian-potato-salad/

We used to call it Babos Salad, named after an elderly Lithuanian/Russian lady who was an integral part of the Lithuanian community I grew up in. "Baba" is "grandma" in Russian; that's what we all called her. She used to use crab meat on top as a garnish. Great addition!

We use red potatoes, skins on. I dice the raw potatoes and steam them. Much easier than trying to dice them after they're cooked. Same for the carrots, dice and then either steam or zap in the microwave for a minute or two.

No cukes in ours; they tend to release too much liquid as the salad sits in the frig to chill.

I had never heard of pickles with oak leaves (agurkai su ąžuolų lapais), but this particular brand of them has become our favorites. Kėdainių Konservai products are quite available at international markets.

https://tasteitmarket.com/products/kedainiu-pickles-with-oak-leave

What fun! And tell the person at the head of the table that I love the sweater.

@AndyD said in Who’s decorating for the holidays?:

What's white, furry, and smells of mint?

A polo bear

Okay, I'll bite...