• Jack Dorsey seems to support Kendrick Lamar's latest disses on Canadian rapper Drake.
• The former Twitter CEO liked a post on X calling "Euphoria" a "top-10 diss track."
• Dorsey's support for Lamar goes back years — he even appeared in one of Lamar's music videos.

The beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake has been filled with unexpected characters, including pop sensation Taylor Swift and long-dead legend Tupac Shakur.

Now, Twitter and Block cofounder Jack Dorsey is weighing in — and it appears that he's got "PRIDE" for Kung Fu Kenny.

After a back-and-forth of three diss tracks between Lamar and Drake, Lamar released two songs this week. "Euphoria" dropped on Tuesday, and "6:16 in LA" dropped on Friday.

Both of Lamar's tracks received approval from super-fan Dorsey, who has recently liked both new and old posts on X and praised the Compton rapper.

"I will give people a couple weeks to realize Kendrick dropped a top-10 diss track of all time," one post Dorsey liked from Wednesday said.

The former CEO also replied Friday with a heart emoji to an old 2011 Lamar post advertising a Toronto concert on June 16. Toronto is Drake's home city, and some fans have speculated that the "6:16" in Lamar's latest diss references this post.

Dorsey didn't become a fan overnight. The former Twitter CEO has been a consistent supporter of Lamar's art. In 2015, Dorsey posted a video at a Lamar concert calling the rapper "the greatest."

He's also praised many of Lamar's records, including the Pulitzer-prize-winning "Damn" and his pandemic record "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers."

"this is an opera. @kendricklamar is a poet and a teacher. I learn something new each listen…and I can't listen to anything else. constant spin," Dorsey said of the 2022 album.

At one point, Dorsey even toyed with the idea of Lamar becoming a potential Twitter board member in 2016, Vox reported.

Lamar reciprocated the love by bringing Dorsey on for 2022 music video for the song "Count Me Out." Dorsey makes a quick cameo by sharing a toast with Lamar and venture capitalist Aviv Nevo.

Lamar also worked with Dorsey's fintech company Block and Ticketmaster to offer fans early access tickets for his 2022 Big Steppers tour, Quartz reported.

Dorsey isn't the only unlikely character outside the music world to chime in on Drake and Lamar's ongoing saga.

Actor Uma Thurman nodded to Drake in April through an Instagram post featuring an image of her costume in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill: Volume 1." In the film, Thurman played the katana-wielding, revenge-seeking "Bride."

"Need this? @champagnepapi," Thurman wrote as a caption in her story.

On Lamar's side, iconic soul singer Al Green approved of his latest track, which uses a sample of Green's "What A Wonderful Thing Love Is."

It's an embarrassing development for Drake, who was roasted and promptly asked to remove one of his diss tracks against Lamar last week after Shakur's estate took issue with Drake's use of AI to recreate Pac's voice.

On Friday night, Drake released his latest response to Lamar: "Family Matters." In the 7-minute track, Drake mentions Lamar's longtime fiancée, Whitney Alford, and goes after Rick Ross, J. Cole, and The Weeknd.

Dorsey and spokespeople for Drake and Lamar did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

from All Content from Business Insider https://ift.tt/Nmvgy6R
via IFTTT

• The US Air Force is testing AI-powered F-16 jets in combat training scenarios.
• Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall conducted a historic test flight on Thursday.
• In some combat scenarios, the AI-powered jets outperform human pilots, AP reported.

The US Air Force conducted a historic test flight on Thursday of its AI-powered X-62A VISTA autonomous warplane.

The flight over Edwards Air Force Base, for which Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall sat in the cockpit, ran through several combat exercises and aerial battle scenarios, per The Associated Press. The outlet reported that the AI-powered aircraft, which has flown roughly two dozen flights since testing began in September, has begun to outperform human pilots in some scenarios.

The AP reported that in the Thursday flight, the X-62A VISTA plane went "nearly nose to nose" with a human-piloted F-16 as they maneuvered within 1,000 feet of each other at speeds of more than 550 miles per hour.

While humanitarian groups have expressed deep concern about putting life-and-death decisions in the hands of an AI-powered craft, Kendall stressed that AI is already restructuring global warfare strategies whether we like it or not.

"It's a security risk not to have it. At this point, we have to have it," Kendall told AP after he landed.

AP reported that the US Air Force is betting big on AI, investing in a fleet of 1,000 unmanned drones to perform riskier maneuvers than are possible with manned craft, with the first operating in 2028.

While AP reported that pilots at the Edwards Air Force Base know that AI-powered craft may soon replace them, the outlet noted that the airmen are loathe to face off against an adversary with AI capabilities if the US doesn't have its own autonomous fleet.

"We have to keep running. And we have to run fast," Kendall told AP after his Thursday flight.

The Air Force did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

from All Content from Business Insider https://ift.tt/9Y6V8in
via IFTTT

• As graduation season approaches, a new wave of hopeful college grads look toward the future.
• Two college seniors share their feelings about graduating and the gifts on their wishlist.
• From gift cards to new laptops, these are the items college seniors want to help them transition into their next chapter.

When Leor H. started university in 2020 during COVID-19, his parents weren't allowed to step foot in his dorm because of safety restrictions. They drove him all the way from Boston to his university in New Brunswick, Canada, dropped him off, and went home. 

"Basically, we said goodbye, and he went into his dorm, and I didn't see his dorm for quite some time," his mom Danya H. said. 

Now, as Leor and his other 2024 classmates get ready to graduate, they eagerly anticipate the in-person experiences they may have missed during their early years of college, like on-site jobs, family time, and travel. Relatives, friends, and colleagues can support these seniors by being there to help them navigate their next steps and by giving gifts that can help them achieve their goals. 

Planning for post-grad life 

Leor, a psychology student preparing to become a behavioral therapist for children with autism, plans to take a gap year to enjoy time with his family and travel solo through Asia before pursuing a master's degree. Useful gifts like a travel backpack, new set of AirPods, or Apple Gift Card for flexible purchases would be great for his upcoming adventures.

Leor is looking forward to celebrating graduation with his parents, siblings, and grandmother who are driving up from Boston to join in on the occasion. While he's excited about the future, he admits he also feels nervous about leaving college. 

"There is some anxiety there, really not knowing what that next stage is going to look like," he said. "But at the end of the day, it's very bittersweet where I'm both excited about what's next but also sad about where I'm leaving."

Feelings of confusion or sadness about graduation are not uncommon, but his mom assures him that it's okay to embrace the unknown. Her advice to her son and other college students is that you don't need an exact plan when you graduate.

"I think most [young adults] have so much wisdom and knowledge, and they don't need to also figure everything out in their early twenties," she said. "I don't think Leor needs all of the answers. I just love that he comes to us with good questions."

Entering the professional world 

Emma Z., a senior at a university in New York City, also has mixed emotions about graduation. She's hoping to take a short break after college before starting a job in the city as a marketing and partnerships coordinator in the fashion industry. Long term, she sees herself becoming a marketing executive or starting her own firm.

Throughout her college years, Emma balanced her studies with marketing and social media internships, gaining experience with fashion and jewelry brands. Working as a freelance stylist, she also created visuals for editorial campaigns.

"I'll definitely miss the flexibility of being a student and having a day-to-day student schedule, but I'm excited to go into a career," Emma said. 

As Emma transitions to professional life, she values the guidance from mentors and colleagues at her current jobs. She said a new purse for the office or an updated MacBook would smooth the switch from student life to the workforce. Apple Gift Card could go toward a new MacBook or give her the freedom to fund whatever she chooses — ranging from stylish accessories to crucial apps to iCloud+ storage — setting her up to start her next life chapter on the right foot.

Shop Apple Gift Card here. Give the gift of everything Apple.

This post was created by Insider Studios with Apple Gift Card. 

from All Content from Business Insider https://ift.tt/LGVgzdx
via IFTTT

• For the first time, scientists observed a wild animal treating its own wound with a medicinal plant.
• A Sumatran orangutan, chewed up liana leaves and applied them to his wound. It healed in five days.
• This never-before-seen behavior goes to show just how similar we are to our primate cousins.

Rakus the orangutan seems to have a surprisingly decent grasp on first-aid.

He lives in Gunung Leuser National Park in South Aceh, Indonesia, where scientists from the Institute of Animal Behavior meticulously observe animals like Rakus, documenting their activities every two minutes.

A team of researchers led by evolutionary biologist Caroline Schuppli and cognitive biologist Isabelle Laumer were observing Rakus when they noticed he had a deep facial wound.

They believe it was caused by a neighboring male in what's known as a "long call battle," Laumer told Business Insider. Adult male orangutans like Rakus shout out "long calls" to attract females and let rival males know that this is their territory. However, sometimes, those verbal warnings attract males too, which can escalate to physical violence.

The research team heard a series of long calls before spotting Rakus' wound, leading them to believe he was involved in a fight with another male, Laumer told Business Insider.

But what they saw him do over the next several days was remarkable. They published their findings in the peer-reviewed journal Nature this week.

Three days after he was hurt, Rakus began feeding on a species of liana called Akar Kuning, a potent medicinal plant that isn't a part of an orangutan's regular diet. The researchers observed him chewing the leaves and then applying them to his wound with his finger.

"This was, to our knowledge, the first time that a wild animal applied a potent healing plant to his own wounds," Laumer said.

Self-medication: a rare animal behavior

Scientists have seen animals self-medicate before. For example, a group of chimpanzees in Gabon has been observed applying insects to their wounds.

But scientists aren't sure whether these insects actually have medicinal properties, "so we don't know if this behavior is in any way efficient or functional," Laumer said. In other words, it's unclear if the chimp's behavior is intentional.

What Rakus did was different for a few reasons.

For starters, he selected a plant that his species rarely eats. Then he applied the mashed-up leaves precisely onto his wound. During this time, he also spent more than half the day sleeping, a behavior that can help wounds heal.

And, most importantly, his treatment actually worked.

"The wound healing was quite rapid, Laumer said. "Within four days, the wound was closed, and there are no signs of any infection."

All of this evidence suggests that this was an intentional self-medicating behavior.

Seeing something like this in the wild is incredibly rare, Laumer said, because they only occur in ancient, highly evolved species, and researchers need to be in the right place at the right time.

Happy accident, or learned behavior?

If Rakus was intentionally applying medication to his wound, as the evidence suggests, how did he know to do it? We can only guess, Laumer said, but there are a few possible explanations.

It could have been a case of individual innovation, when an animal invents a new behavior for the very first time. If that's the case, it may have been a total accident.

Rakus may have unintentionally touched his leaf-mush-covered finger to his face, and instantly felt the pain-relieving properties of the plant, Laumer explained. That would have encouraged him to repeat the behavior over and over again.

Or, it could be a learned behavior. Orangutans are known to be capable of social learning. They're often observed "peering" at their group members, which is the act of getting very close and watching what another orangutan is doing.

It's common for juvenile orangutans to exhibit this behavior with their mothers, for example, watching their every move to learn how to survive. So, it's possible that Rakus may have learned this behavior from another orangutan.

But, because this is the first time this behavior has ever been observed in orangutans, scientists can't say for sure why or how Rakus did it.

More alike than we are different

Rakus's behavior reminds us a lot of our own behavior with medicinal plants, which could help us understand where our knack for medicinal treatment first evolved.

Our earliest shared ancestor with orangutans dates back over 10 million years, so this behavior may originate from many millions of years ago.

"It also shows how similar we are, more similar than we are different," Laumer said. "It points to how amazing and incredibly smart these animals are, and how important it is to protect them."

from All Content from Business Insider https://ift.tt/P6dG2U8
via IFTTT

Over 2,000 pro-Palestinian protesters have been arrested at campuses throughout the US. Students are calling on universities to boycott companies that are working with Israel or are in support of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

from All Content from Business Insider https://ift.tt/kJ4f935
via IFTTT

• Tesla's board urged shareholders in a video to vote for CEO Elon Musk's $47 billion pay package.
• A Delaware court had canceled his 2018 CEO performance award.
• The carmaker announced last month it would hold another vote to reinstate the pay package.

Tesla's board made yet another push to get CEO Elon Musk his $47 billion pay package — this time on-camera.

In a video posted on Friday, Robyn Denholm, the chair of Tesla's board of directors, urged the carmaker's shareholders to reapprove Musk's 2018 CEO performance award after a Delaware judge overturned it in court.

Musk's compensation was worth roughly $56 billion, though it's now worth about $47 billion due to Tesla's falling share price. But Musk's billions in extra pay were thrown out after a Tesla shareholder filed a lawsuit arguing the payout was excessive.

The shareholder vote to bring back the pay for Musk, Denholm said, will be "incredibly important for the future of the company."

"We don't believe one judge's opinion should void the will of millions of votes cast by all of the owners of the company," the chairman told investors in the video. "So once again, we're asking you to make your voices heard by voting for the ratification of the 2018 performance award."

The chairman argued in the video that Musk fairly received the award, which shareholders set to incentivize the tech billionaire to hit "ambitious financial and operational targets" since Tesla reached its goals as of 2023.

She noted that the carmaker grew revenues from $11.8 billion to $96.8 billion and turned a $2.2 billion loss into a $15 billion profit under Musk's leadership.

These milestones, she said, increased the value of Tesla from $53.7 billion to more than $790 billion.

"His success is shared by all stockholders," Denholm said regarding Musk, adding that investors saw the value of their shares increase by 1,100%.

Last month, Tesla filed a proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission announcing its plans to hold another shareholder vote on Musk's enormous compensation package, which includes stock options.

Tesla's leadership argued that Musk hasn't been properly paid for the work he did for Tesla over the past six years.

As of May 3rd, Musk is ranked the second richest person in the world with a net worth of $195 billion, according to Forbes' billionaire index.

Tesla's annual 2024 shareholder meeting is set to take place on June 13, 2024, at 3:30 p.m. central time.

Tesla didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider before publication.

from All Content from Business Insider https://ift.tt/WxZF3a4
via IFTTT

• Trump is now the GOP's presumptive presidential nominee. 
• The former president is facing competing pressures to find his new running mate.
• Trump has a lot to choose from when it comes to either former rivals or MAGA allies.

Former President Donald Trump is seriously searching for his next running mate.

Trump, now officially the GOP's presumptive presidential nominee, is looking to narrow down a large list of former rivals, lawmakers, and MAGA allies to find the potential next vice president.

The former president faced some pressure to announce his decision quickly. But for now, Trump appears likely to follow a more traditional timeline. NBC News reported that "there is a growing consensus" around a June announcement. The Republican National Convention is set to start July 15 in Milwaukee.

Trump has stoked speculation about his pick by publicly confirming half a dozen names on his list: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, South Carolina Sen. Tim biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, and former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.

Almost all of the top names will attend a major donor retreat at Mar-a-Lago this weekend. According to CNBC, Rubio, Vance, Scott, Burgum, Noem, and Donals will be "special guests." Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, the No. 4 House Republican, will also attend.

Noem's chances have cratered after her reveal that decades ago, she shot and killed her family's 14-month-old dog named Cricket due to its aggressive behavior. Even some Trump allies have questioned the governor's judgment for including the previously unknown story in her forthcoming memoir.

History shows that the ultimate selection could be surprising, so it's worth considering an even wider pool of potential names.

Here's a look at the names to watch as Trump continues his quest to retake the White House:

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina

The 58-year-old three-term senator endorsed Trump shortly before the New Hampshire primary. The South Carolinian also largely avoided criticizing Trump in a way that may have foreclosed him being on the ticket.

According to Politico, Scott talks with Trump or texts with the former president nearly every week.

Scott previously stoked speculation that he could be picked by telling the Wall Street Journal that he found his and Trump's contrasting styles "to be very complementary."

It's worth noting that while the former president has a growing list of congressional allies, the Senate has repeatedly been an issue for him.

Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy

Like some other candidates on this list, Ramaswamy is unlikely to be chosen as Trump's next VP. But that doesn't mean there aren't people out there who would like to see it.

Ramaswamy was perhaps the only candidate in the race who never dared to issue substantive criticisms of Trump, choosing instead to run as a staunch supporter of the former president who would carry that mantle forward.

He dropped out immediately after coming in 4th in Iowa, endorsing Trump and likely securing himself some sort of future position in MAGA world, if not Trump's actual cabinet.

But while Ramaswamy would be popular with some of Trump's most devoted followers, his penchant for conspiracy theorizing would likely be a liability in a general election.

Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota

The second-term South Dakota governor was once, perhaps best known nationally for flouting COVID restrictions during the pandemic. That was until Noem decided to include a story in a forthcoming book about her decision decades ago to kill the family's 14-month-old dog after it proved to be untrainable and overly aggressive.

Since then, the consensus is that Noem has greatly damaged her prospects of becoming Trump's running mate.

Before the dog episode, Noem faced concerns after she posted a bizarre infomercial-esque video touting a dental procedure she received in Texas.

Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida

Donalds, currently in just his second term, has risen rapidly in Congress. Conservatives opposed to Kevin McCarthy's leadership put the Florida Republican forth as an alternative to the then-longtime House GOP leader. Donalds was later added to the powerful House Steering Committee after he switched his support to McCarthy and McCarthy went on to become speaker.

That wasn't his only major flip. Donalds, who had previously been DeSantis' close ally, endorsed Trump last April, part of a string of Florida Republicans that snubbed their governor to back the former president. Donalds has also been floated as a potential successor to DeSantis, who cannot run for reelection in 2026 due to consecutive term limits.

Donalds was also among the six potential names Ingraham suggested to the former president. Trump responded by saying, "They're all good, they're all solid."

Like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Donalds would also have to deal with potential concerns of sharing the same home state as Trump.

Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii

Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is likely the most surprising name on this list. A former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, she endorsed President Joe Biden after previously declaring Trump "unfit" to remain as president.

Gabbard's politics have changed drastically since then. In 2022, she announced that she was formerly leaving the Democratic Party. Over time, the four-term former congresswoman became a fixture on Fox News and at political events. According to The Washington Post, Gabbard has also advised the former president and his team about defense policy.

She was also among the six names Ingraham asked Trump about in terms of potential running mates.

Sen. JD Vance of Ohio

Despite having just been elected to the US Senate last year, Vance has repeatedly been floated as a vice-presidential candidate for Trump.

And he's not saying no.

"Certainly if the president asked, I would have to think about it," Vance recently said while stumping for Trump in New Hampshire — though he also said that the "best place for me" is to remain in the US Senate.

A former venture capitalist and the author of the bestselling book "Hillbilly Elegy," Vance was once a "NeverTrumper" and a fierce critic of the former president. But he has since morphed into one of his staunchest acolytes in the Senate, and he's at the vanguard of a movement that seeks to reorient the party more towards the working class.

Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida

Rubio once viewed as the GOP's future, is reportedly gaining attention as a possible pick.

Rubio, like DeSantis, endured significant taunting and attacks when he opposed Trump during the 2016 primaries. But the pair have moved beyond the "Liddle Marco" jabs.

The Florida senator was a key ally during Trump's presidency, though Rubio did not support overturning the 2020 election results. After the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, Rubio delivered an impassioned speech on the Senate floor, arguing that it was "a terrible idea" to continue to raise objections to the results.

Now a third-term senator, Rubio, as NBC News pointed out, would also have more experience in federal office than Vice President Kamala Harris did when Biden tapped her to be his running mate.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia

Greene, the fire-breathing conspiracy-minded congresswoman from Georgia, wouldn't exactly be a tent-expanding choice for the former president.

But that hasn't stopped her from talking up her own prospects.

"It's talked about frequently and I know my name is on a list," Greene told The Guardian in August. "But really my biggest focus right now is serving the district that elected me."

A second-term legislator with no major policy accomplishments, Greene wouldn't bring much to the equation when it comes to policy chops or broadening Trump's appeal. In fact, it could damage the ticket, given her extremely poor polling.

Greene has also alienated top party leaders over her push to oust Speaker Mike Johnson. Trump has repeatedly praised Johnson as he's tried to navigate Greene's challenge.

Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York

The chairwoman of the House GOP Conference, Stefanik is the highest-ranking official who is seen as a potential Trump pick.

The New York congresswoman, who ascended to her leadership position on the heels of Liz Cheney's ouster, has notably undergone a sharp shift when it comes to Trump, beginning with the 2019 impeachment hearings.

Trump has reportedly described Stefanik as a "killer" and a potential pick in private, and the congresswoman recently said she "would be honored to serve in any capacity in a Trump administration."

Stefanik has raised her national profile by grilling college presidents over their handling of students who have protested the Israel-Hamas war. The New Yorker has drilled into administrators whom she has accused of being too weak in their response to antisemitism.

Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama

Britt quickly built her profile before delivering the Republican Party's official response to Biden's State of the Union address.

Britt's response was widely panned, including by some Republicans. NBC's "Saturday Night Live" enlisted Scarlett Johansson to impersonate the freshman senator.

At just 42, Britt could become one of the youngest vice presidents in recent memory. Only Dan Quayle, then a US senator from Indiana, would have been slightly younger. Quayle was 41 when he began his vice presidency under President George H.W. Bush.

Britt has made her age and the fact she is a mother of school-age children a key selling point in her political career.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas

No one on this list knows Trump like Sanders. As his second White House press secretary, Sanders turned her turn at the podium into a governorship. As Arkansas governor, she's pursued an array of conservative policies.

She has endorsed Trump's campaign, but she has hinted that she wouldn't be interested in returning to the White House as vice president.

"Look, I absolutely love the job I have. I think it's one of the best jobs I could ever ask for, and I am honored to serve as governor, and I hope I get to do it for the next seven years," Sanders previously told CBS News.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia

Youngkin, 57, unlike the other governors on this list, has shown he can win a competitive state. The former private equity maven shocked political pundits by narrowly winning the Virginia governor's race in 2021. But Youngkin won in large part by ignoring Trump.

The Virginian's political stock has also declined in the wake of disappointing state legislative elections that saw Democrats gain full control of the statehouse in Richmond. Trump might honestly be more concerned that Youngkin has ties to Jeff Roe, a former Cruz advisor, who left Youngkin's orbit to lead a pro-DeSantis super PAC that ended disastrously.

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida

Trump and his allies spent over a year ruthlessly attacking DeSantis. It was only toward the end of his disappointing primary that the 45-year-old began to return fire.

DeSantis did endorse Trump immediately after dropping out before New Hampshire, but the question remains if either side would want to repair their political alliance.

There appeared to be a brief peace, but that was thrown into after a top Trump campaign official tore into DeSantis. The public attack was in response to a report that DeSantis privately expressed concern that Trump might resort to "identity politics" when selecting his vice president.

Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley

Haley, who has remained clear her campaign will continue, has repeatedly said she's not interested in being anyone's vice president. Trump's choice of Mike Pence illustrates that he could tap someone to unite the party, but it's clear the former president is nowhere near happy with how that marriage ended.

Haley's biggest strength would be her effort to appeal to independent voters. She could also hopefully repair Trump's long-running struggles in the nation's suburbs. It's clear, though, that her decision to keep campaigning is starting to grate on Trump.

Biden has also shown greater interest in bringing Haley's voters than Trump.

from All Content from Business Insider https://ift.tt/mytgkEJ
via IFTTT

• I tried Chili's Big Smasher burger, the chain's first new burger in three years.
• The half-pound burger comes with lettuce, crunchy pickles, and a creamy Thousand Island dressing.
• The burger was juicy on the inside but had a mouthwatering, crispy crust on the outside.

Chili's just came out with its first new burger in three years in the hopes of competing with fast-food chains like McDonald's.

The burger, which launched on April 29, has similar ingredients to a Big Mac but twice the meat. It's available for $10.99 when included in the chain's value meal — something the chain is advertising to attract value-driven customers as fast-food prices climb.

I tried the burger for the first time at Chili's headquarters in Dallas a few weeks before its official launch. After it landed in restaurants nationwide, I tried it again at my local Chili's.

Here's what I thought of Chili's new Big Smasher burger.

I tried the Big Smasher for the first time at Chili's headquarters in Dallas a few weeks before its official launch on April 29.

I was invited to Chili's headquarters to try the brand's newest burger and other new menu items in development.

I made the burger myself, hand-smashing the half-pound patty with a large iron and arranging the toppings on the freshly buttered bun.

I was really impressed by the juicy yet crispy burger when I tried it in the company's test kitchen, but I wanted to see if I'd be just as blown away trying it in an actual restaurant, like any other customer.

To get a more realistic experience, I also tried it at my nearest Chili's after its launch.

I was looking forward to heading back to a Chili's restaurant. I went to Chili's for the first time last year, and I have been back several times since then, both for work-related taste tests and just to hang out with friends.

I live in Brooklyn, New York, so the closest Chili's restaurant is located in Glendale, about a 20-minute drive from my apartment.

When I arrived at around 5:30 p.m. on a weekday, the restaurant was already filled with customers.

For a limited time, the burger is included in Chili's 3 For Me value deal, which is how I ordered it.

The Big Smasher starts at around $12.99 on its own, but the price differs slightly by location. At my local Chili's, the burger cost $14.39, excluding tax.

This meant that ordering the burger as part of the 3 For Me was a no-brainer because the deal starts at $10.99, excluding tax.

With the deal, you get an appetizer like bottomless chips and salsa, a drink, and an entrée. I decided to add a margarita instead of a bottomless soft drink to my order, which added an additional $3.99.

The burger comes topped with shredded lettuce, diced red onions, pickles, American cheese, and Thousand Island dressing.

I went with fries as my side, but you can also choose from options like mashed potatoes, rice, and steamed broccoli.

The ingredients burger are similar to a Big Mac, but I've admittedly never been a fan of the iconic fast-food burger. I find it too bready, and the patties too thin. So I was excited to see if this similar burger would correct those personal qualms I have with the fast-food staple.

The star of the show truly was the burger patty.

The burger was juicy and slightly pink, but it had a delicious char on the outside. The cheese was perfectly melted onto the patty, but it didn't drip from the burger.

The burger patty was also thicker than I expected.

The burger patty weighs about a half pound, which is thicker than most fast-food burgers. I also thought this was one of the best chain restaurant burgers I've ever had because it was so classic.

While it didn't have all the bells and whistles like bacon, barbecue sauce, and vegetables piled high on this burger, that's what I really liked about it.

Each ingredient complemented and didn't overpower the others, from the fresh-tasting shredded lettuce to the pickles, red onion pieces, and the layer of tangy Thousand Island sauce.

Time will tell if the Big Smasher wins over customers, but it certainly impressed me.

It's hard to say whether the Big Smasher will become as iconic as some of Chili's other menu items, namely the chain's baby back ribs and appetizers.

However, I thought the large, juicy burger was certainly good enough to take on fast-food staples like the Big Mac, as well as burgers available at other chain restaurants.

from All Content from Business Insider https://ift.tt/BHG2D4S
via IFTTT

• US Marines want better counter-drone capabilities to compete with adversaries like Russia and China.
• The Corps aims to field upgraded air defense systems and acquire its own drones as soon as possible.
• They're also training in other tactics, like using traditional firearms to shoot down drones.

The Marine Corps wants to field better counter-drone capabilities yesterday. Since that is not possible, the service says it's looking to get them to Marines right now, or at least very soon.

Over the last five years, the Marine Corps has been improving its counter-drone systems as it looks to reshape the force and compete with near-peer adversaries. Officials at Modern Day Marine, a military exposition in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, said those efforts are paramount as competing nations such as Russia and China proliferate their own drone stocks.

"I like to say we've done great, but the enemy's got a vote," Steve Bowdren, the Marine Corps' program executive officer for land systems, told reporters Tuesday. "And so even though this has been great progress, we're almost too late, right? … It's not there today, but it's really close."

Bowdren told reporters that the Marine Corps has come a long way from a half-decade ago when it "really just had Stinger" missile systems to shoot down drones. Now, it is looking at fielding upgraded systems such as the Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or MADIS, a mobile, Stinger-mounted vehicle, as well as the Medium Range Intercept Capability, or MRIC, which can target cruise missiles and drones.

Some of these systems can be expected to hit the fleet in the next year, he said.

As drones — sometimes cheap, off-the-shelf commercial models — stalk battlefields in Ukraine amid Russia's full-scale invasion of that country, the Marine Corps is increasing the urgency for acquiring, testing, and deploying its own unmanned aerial systems, or UAS.

"Small UAS and counter-UAS are probably the biggest change that we've seen recently," Brig. Gen. Stephen Lightfoot, director of the service's Capabilities Development Directorate, said when referring to the "changing character of war."

Lightfoot pointed to the war in Ukraine as a specific data point that the Marine Corps is examining for its own counter-drone capabilities — commercial drones, first-person-view drones, and even ones operated by cellphone are all on its radar.

Meanwhile, the service is training Marines in counter-drone tactics. As early as last week, for example, Marines with the 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, battled single-person drones in a simulated exercise — this time with shotguns, machine guns, and rifles.

Some units, Military.com has previously reported, said that they do not have their own counter-drone capabilities, even when deploying to high-pressure regions such as the Pacific, where tensions with China are running high.

Unmanned aircraft systems are "a wicked problem that everyone's working hard to come to grips with," Col. Brendan Sullivan, then-commanding officer of Marine Rotational Force-Darwin, or MRF-D, told reporters last year. "That's a huge focus of effort within the 1st Marine Division and a specific emphasis going for the division commander."

Other units, such as the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, have had their hands on counter-drone systems such as the Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or L-MADIS, the little brother to the system with a similar name, since earlier this year. Some MEUs have used it for longer.

The threat that drones present to the Marine Corps was a concern at last year's Modern Day Marine expo, with then-commandant Gen. David Berger saying "the defense against drones and swarming drones … it's clearly a challenge right now."

That challenge has only grown, according to officials Tuesday, and the need for the Marine Corps to thwart it is critical.

"I think it's needed right now," Lightfoot said. "[It's] easy for me to say that as a requirements guy, because I want counter-UAS yesterday."

from All Content from Business Insider https://ift.tt/6EUeBQ9
via IFTTT

• Elon Musk wants to combine Twitter and Grok, his AI engine, and create a news machine.
• But Grok won't look for "news" — it will look for "things people are saying on Twitter about news."
• There's several problems with this approach! But it may be the future, regardless.

What do you think of when you think of "news?"

I'm both old and in the news business. So when I think of "news," it's usually like something that comes from an organization that specializes in distributing and sometimes sourcing/verifying facts about current events. You know: like a newspaper or a website or TV show/network.

Elon Musk thinks news is something different: It's what people talk about on the service formerly known as Twitter.

And that's the vision he's using to build a news service at X, the company formerly known as Twitter, using Grok, his homegrown AI chatbot.

Musk's idea, he tells journalist Alex Kantrowitz, is that the best way to learn about the news isn't by reading/listening to the news, but by listening to what people say about the news.

Conversation on X will make up the core of Grok's summaries — or, really almost all of it. Musk said Grok will not look directly at article text, and will instead rely solely on social posts. "It's summarizing what people say on X," he said.

And just to make it clear, a Musk employee confirms to Kantrowitz that these are indeed his marching orders: "Igor Babuschkin, a technical staff member working at Musk's xAI, said his team is focused on 'making Grok understand the news purely from what is posted on X.'"

Look. I know that "understanding the news purely from what is posted on the company formerly known as Twitter" is not going to give a lot of us comfort. Definitely not in the Elon Musk era of the company formerly known as Twitter.

But … I kinda like it? In theory?

Let's be clear: Understanding what is happening in the world based solely on what people say on X, or any other social media platform, is Not A Good Idea. But consuming commentary about what people say about what's happening in the world isn't a terrible idea. Maybe even a good one?

And, more practically: That kind of commentary consumption actually is the way many people learn about what's happening in the world. Even if you're a Serious News Consumer (thank you!), the bulk of the information you're getting likely isn't directly from a primary news source, but from someone who has aggregated or at least repeated what a primary news source says. It's basic economics: It's very expensive to go find news for yourself, and very cheap to talk about things that are in the news, or to package and present news other people have procured. That's why even large, well-funded news outfits — take, for instance, CNN — spend most of their time discussing and debating things we've already heard about, instead of presenting you with new things.

And while there are plenty of use cases where generative AI doesn't do a great job, it does seem quite useful at summarizing existing information, particularly when it's already been typed up. So why not summarize commentary?

The to-be-sures: Yes, you'd be foolish to rely on an Elon Musk-run AI machine for factual information.

But to be honest, that caveat applies to any AI machine at the moment. Last week, for instance, I asked Google's AI (not its much maligned Gemini but the one Google has started inserting into some people's phones whether they want it or not) a question about World War II and the Tower of London and it confidently gave me an answer about Big Ben instead.

So let's assume that any generative AI answer about anything should be deemed a starting point at best — something that may or may not be right and definitely requires a fact-check before you use it to inform a consequential decision. Just like you should if your source was "thing I read on the internet" or "thing I heard on a podcast."

Which gets to the other problem with Musk's solution, as Kantrowitz points out: Right now, Musk is barely even trying to tell you about the original source of the information he's summarizing.

When I asked Grok to "tell me about Elon Musk's plan to summarize news using grok" it provided me a very cogent summary of Kantrowitz's piece. But to find the source of that summary, I needed to scroll to the bottom of the entry, then all the way to right, past other people's tweets with zero information about Musk's plans, to find Kantrowitz's tweet linking to his original article.

That's a lousy way to give people access to more information. It's also lousy for publishers who are still spending effort — like Kantrowitz — to find new information. It means Musk gets the benefit of their work and they get next to nothing — barely even a link — in return.

Alas, I think that's the way we're headed with AI in general: Despite efforts to negotiate or sue Big AI, most publishers are headed to a world where Big AI engines provide increasingly complete answers to queries and give users little incentive to head to original sources to learn more.

It would certainly be nice if Grok gave Kantrowitz more prominent billing when it provides an answer, and I think it may or may not get around to doing that, depending on Musk's feelings at any given moment.

But any media company that doesn't have a plan, or at least a hope, for dealing with AI news — beyond wishing for a check or a court order — is going to be in trouble regardless.

from All Content from Business Insider https://ift.tt/cHiXslS
via IFTTT