Oh no! Turns out AI sucks at writing
Mad Chapman takes a dreary walk through a Stuff article written by AI. to see Stuff publishing an article written by AI, or more specifically, “summarised from original Stuff reporting and published member comments using generative AI tool ChatGPT with oversight and editing from Stuff journalists”. In fact, I will say right here that as of March 8, 2024, AI sucks at writing. The commentsAfter a whole 269 AI-generated words, the article ends with a collection of poll comments from real people. The blurb at the top of Stuff’s AI article does say it was edited by Stuff journalists but I’m going to give those journalists the benefit of the doubt by saying I don’t think they did much editing.
Source:Stuff
March 11, 2024 22:18 UTC
Christian Horner’s Mother’s Day tribute to Geri Halliwell backfires
Christian Horner’s Mother’s Day tribute on Instagram to his wife Geri appeared to backfire as his post was mocked in comments online. The Red Bull Formula 1 team principal, 50, shared photos of the former Spice Girl on the social media platform on Sunday. In the caption, he wrote: “Happy Mother’s Day – so appreciative of the mums in our family for everything they do. We’re always grateful, today and every day.”But social media users were quick to criticise Horner, who is at the centre of a controversy over accusations about his behaviour towards a female employee. Comments left underneath the post accused him of following PR advice and said he was “digging himself a bigger hole”.
Source:Stuff
March 11, 2024 05:22 UTC
More than twice as many properties being auctioned compared to this time last year
Exactly a third of the properties offered at the auctions monitored by interest.co.nz last week were sold under the hammer. Although the 573 properties auctioned was slightly down from the 619 offered the previous week, the market is well into its peak selling season for the year. And the number of properties being auctioned is running at more than twice the level of this time last year, so there is plenty of activity in the auction rooms. Interestingly, the overall sales rate in the Auckland Region, which dominates auction activity, has been consistently running at around a third for the last month. Details of the individual properties auctioned, including the prices achieved for those that sold, are available on our Residential Auction Results page.
Source:New Zealand Herald
March 11, 2024 04:47 UTC
First Official Photo of Kate Released After Her Surgery
The Royal Family has shared a moment of personal significance with the public, as the “Princess of Wales: First official picture of Kate since surgery released” makes headlines. Key takeawaysFirst official photo of the Princess of Wales post-surgery. The first official photo of the Princess of Wales since her abdominal surgery has been warmly received, showing her in good spirits with her children and offering a heartfelt Mother’s Day message. Date of Surgery January 2024 Location of Surgery The London Clinic Length of Hospital Stay 13 nights Expected Return to Duties After Easter 2024 Photographer Prince WilliamThe “Princess of Wales: First official picture of Kate since surgery released” has been a significant update for Royal watchers and the general public alike. The photograph is a testament to the resilience of the Princess of Wales and the strength of her family’s bond.
Source:Stuff
March 11, 2024 04:33 UTC
Aya And The Butterfly
Aya And The ButterflyA child’s journey back to happiness with puppetry, music and more! ‘Aya and the Butterfly’ is premiering at Circa Theatre in Wellington in the April school holidays, Saturday 13 April to Saturday 27th April. ‘Aya and the Butterfly’ is based on a children’s book by Ōtautahi/Christchurch based author Dr Maysoon Salama, who wrote the story for her young granddaughter Aya, after Aya lost her father in the Christchurch Mosque attacks in 2019. Birdlife Productions won ‘Best Direction’ for ‘Birdlife’, Whakatū/Nelson Fringe (2015). LINKS TO ARTICLEShttps://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/133242495/puppet-show-explores-the-journey-from-grief-to-happinessThis stuff article was written when Birdlife Productions did a developmental tour of Aya in Nelson and Christchurch last year.
Source:Stuff
March 11, 2024 02:55 UTC
Earl Spencer’s sexual abuse allegations reported to local authority
In the book, Earl Spencer reveals how the alleged abuse took place when he was moved into a new dormitory when he was aged around 11. He claims he meted out brutal corporal punishment with a slipper or a cane that sometimes left the boys bloodied and bruised. “It is difficult to read about practices which were, sadly, sometimes believed to be normal and acceptable at that time. “By bravely speaking out, Earl Spencer has reassured others in a similar position that they are not alone. No matter how long ago sexual abuse may have taken place, it is never too late to share your experience with people who are ready to listen and help.”
Source:Stuff
March 11, 2024 00:05 UTC
A powerful sensation of déjà vu
By Chris Trotter*The Coalition Government has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. The explanation, presumably, for the powerful sensation of déjà vu in which this government is now wreathed. By the time the government changed, the state was pouring in excess of a million dollars a day into the pockets of New Zealand’s motel owners. The electoral heft of that generation was sufficient to limit the plans of those who had been encouraged to “rip-in, rip-out and rip-off” in the name of national development. The truth of this proposition has been clear since the 1870s, when Sir Julius Vogel launched New Zealand’s first “national development” plan.
Source:Stuff
March 10, 2024 23:51 UTC
Radio Hauraki founder David Gapes dies
Radio Hauraki co-founder David Gapes has died, his family confirmed on Friday. Starting out his career as a journalist, Gapes was part of a group who famously launched the “pirate” radio station from the sea in 1966 to get around New Zealand’s restrictive radio licencing regime. As chairman and chief executive of Radio Hauraki, he led the station through the process of getting its radio licence, which it achieved in 1970, more than 1000 days after it launched. Gapes was also the manager of famous Kiwi rock band Hello Sailor, and has been editor of AdMedia and Onfilm magazines founder and editor of the daily online newsletter M+AD. NZME Chief Audio Officer Jason Winstanley paid tribute to Gapes in a statement issued to the New Zealand Herald: “David Gapes was one of Radio Hauraki’s four founders, broadcasting for the first time from the famous ship The Tiri back in 21 November 1966.
Source:Stuff
March 10, 2024 22:04 UTC
Stuff stays on top in Nielsen readership survey
The latest Nielsen CMI Readership results show Stuff holds the number one audience position across New Zealand’s digital and print products. Combined, the masthead digital network now has an audience which puts it in the top five news platforms in the country. The Post’s print readership of 403,000* grows to an unduplicated 808,000** when combined with its digital masthead. While the Sunday Star-Times was -3.9 percent from the previous quarter, together with Sunday News it has a combined readership of 297,000. Stuff’s stable of magazines including NZ House & Garden and TV Guide posted readership increases – TV Guide’s large readership of 353,000 Kiwis was 4 percent up on the previous quarter and NZ House & Garden’s readership of 372,000 was 2.6 percent up.
Source:Stuff
March 10, 2024 20:28 UTC
Coalition Government delays interest deductibility phase-in
The Coalition Government has decided to phase in interest deductibility for landlords more slowly than promised in the National–Act coalition agreement. Act Party leader David Seymour and Revenue Minister Simon Watts announced interest deductibility for rental properties would be phased in from the start of April 2024. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” it said. “Landlords have been hit with a double whammy of rising mortgage interest rates and increasing interest deductibility limitations during a cost-of-living crisis. The Act Party leader said bringing in the 60% mortgage interest deductibility for the current tax year was not worth the work required.
Source:Stuff
March 10, 2024 11:16 UTC
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Artificial Intelligence-generated cloud looms over Hollywood’s Barbenheimer Oscars
The “Barbenheimer” Oscars should quiet recent criticisms that the nominees were too obscure, at least this year. “There are two big blockbusters that are nominated for Oscars and Hollywood loves that,” said Ortiz. California would account for 28 per cent of the displaced creative industry jobs, followed by New York, the report said. Ortiz last year sued AI generators Stability AI, Midjourney and DeviantArt for allegedly teaching the tools from her artwork. “When I looked at Sora, two things went through my mind: what is this trained on?
Source:New Zealand Herald
March 10, 2024 07:21 UTC
Mortgage stress - how much worse will it get?
Does the sharp rise in non-performing mortgage loans now being witnessed tell us that the full extent of stress from the high interest rates is emerging and becoming fully visible? Mortgage interest rates had been, in a historic sense, virtually non-existent. At that time the average one-year fixed mortgage rate was just 2.2%. But as I say, most of the eye-watering jumps in interest rate sizes seem to be behind us. But, okay, even if mortgage rates do start to decline in the second half of the year - how much will they decline by?
Source:New Zealand Herald
March 10, 2024 05:44 UTC
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Rhys Darby returns to New Zealand for two huge milestones
Rhys Darby is back in New Zealand. Why is Kiwi comedy star Rhys Darby back in New Zealand? Popular island spot Wild Estate Vineyard in Onetangi has secured Darby for an exclusive one-off New Zealand show with an intimate audience of only 200 tickets. “The show is called ‘25 Years’ - it is a celebration of my stand-up career,” say Darby. The production company for his road trip show, Stripe Studios, made headlines last month with the New Zealand Herald’s Media Insider column, penned by Shayne Currie, reporting Stripe for unpaid bills.
Source:Stuff
March 10, 2024 01:29 UTC
More frequent checks for KiwiRail's ageing ferry fleet
Photo: SuppliedKiwiRail says it is putting more time into maintaining its Cook Strait ferry fleet after assessments by international experts. The fate of the three ageing ferries hangs in the balance after KiwiRail was forced to cancel an order for two new ships and put ferry terminal redevelopment on hold. Norwegian maritime experts Det Norske Veritas visited New Zealand last month as part of their checks. As a result, KiwiRail had added more weekly and monthly maintenance checks, and longer time in dry docks for serious maintenance work. It had to write down the value of its assets by almost $450m, forcing it into a big deficit, after the terminal and ferry upgrade project was scrapped.
Source:Stuff
March 10, 2024 01:21 UTC
One dead in water-related incident at beach
Omaha beach. Photo / Doug SherringOne person has died following a water-related incident at Omaha, Auckland, this afternoon. Police received a report of a person needing assistance in the water off the north end of Omaha Beach at 3 pm. Emergency services responded to Ida Way, Omaha where the person had been brought into the shore by Surf Life Saving New Zealand. “Attempts were made to resuscitate the person but sadly they could not be resuscitated,” police said in a statement.
Source:Otago Daily Times
March 09, 2024 18:12 UTC