Podcasts about news sources

Timestamps: 0:00 i saw the soup, and it opened up... 0:09 Firefox announces AI kill switch 2:02 SpaceX 1M+ satellites, xAI merger 3:44 Notepad++ hack, patch 5:36 QUICK BITS INTRO 5:47 Apple store adds Mac customization 6:30 iOS 26.3 location privacy feature 7:11 Fire TV sideloading crackdown 7:54 Moto G17 gets no OS updates 8:51 Hair computers! NEWS SOURCES: https://lmg.gg/54TmY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Timestamps: 0:00 for scryin' out loud! 0:11 New Nvidia N1X leaks 1:54 CEOs are starting to worry about AI 3:18 Sony cedes Bravia TV control to TCL 5:50 QUICK BITS INTRO 6:04 AMD GPUs paused until 2027? 6:54 Twitter open-sources algorithm 7:25 French court okays App Tracking Transparency 8:12 Sarco pod is back, now with AI 9:11 Stretchy OLED display!! NEWS SOURCES: https://lmg.gg/tvwj0 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Timestamps: 0:00 Hola 0:10 Steam AI game labelling debate 1:46 Nvidia stops bundling GPU VRAM 3:09 EU's new tech scam rules 4:16 dbrand! 4:57 QUICK BITS INTRO 5:07 Intel could make Apple chips 5:54 AI won't replace Nvidia jobs 6:52 Apple Podcasts creepy behavior 7:28 Taiwan raids former TSMC exec's homes 8:04 Researchers discover 'pain switch' NEWS SOURCES: https://lmg.gg/CxA8O Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Timestamps: 0:00 it's almost halloween i guess 0:19 AMD renames, rebadges older laptop CPUs 1:17 RedTiger-based Discord account hack 2:20 Australia sues Microsoft 3:31 War Thunder! 4:24 QUICK BITS INTRO 4:34 Fujitsu laptops with Blu-ray drives 5:21 Cooler Master walks back repair instructions 6:12 NHTSA investigate's Tesla's Mad Max mode 7:03 Microsoft files $4.7 in OpenAI losses under 'other' 8:03 Mushrooms as memristors! NEWS SOURCES: https://lmg.gg/mXOat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gallup reports trust in media has sunk to an all time low. Only 28% of Americans in a recent Gallup poll say that they now have confidence in media, and that's forcing them to choose other sources than quality journalistic media sources.The trust rating is down from 31% last year and 40%, 5 years ago. 34% say they have no trust at all in the media these days, Gallup began measuring confidence in the media in the 1970s when the numbers vary between 68 and 72% confidence in media, the decline has been significant. Now Americans get their views from biased sources, sources, they choose. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Timestamps: 0:00 does this make any sense 0:19 EA acquired in $55B deal 1:21 Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme benchmarks 2:42 ChatGPT parental controls, Instant Checkout 4:08 Proton! 5:05 QUICK BITS INTRO 5:17 RTX 50 Super series 5:56 ASUS starts to fix ROG laptop stuttering 6:39 Apple's internal Siri chatbot app 7:19 Microsoft introduces 'vibe working' 8:09 Skyrim Grandma retires NEWS SOURCES: https://lmg.gg/yo6Or Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Timestamps: 0:00 i've got tech news, and it's terminal 0:14 AI scares Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella 1:25 GPD Win 5 with Strix Halo price, performance 2:44 iPhone 17 #Scratchgate 4:09 Rove Lab! 5:02 QUICK BITS INTRO 5:15 TikTok deal details 5:55 Jensen confirms Nvidia N1 6:43 Lenovo cancels some Legion Go 2 preorders 7:17 EU airports recovering from cyberattack 7:58 Pope says NO AI POPE! NEWS SOURCES: https://lmg.gg/NqjQC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Timestamps: 0:00 whaddo I look like, some kinda Lord? 0:13 YouTube responds to low-view count issue 3:03 Switch emulator Eden on Play Store 4:17 China's Nvidia antitrust ruling 5:19 Ground News! 6:16 QUICK BITS INTRO 6:31 US says TikTok deal on with China 7:10 Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, for some reason 7:59 Penske Media sues Google over AI Overviews 8:47 TSMC makes honey now NEWS SOURCES: https://lmg.gg/wWxUz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this new episode of THE POLITICRAT daily podcast Omar Moore declares that it is time to call a thing a thing. Also: Have you checked your voter registration status this month? Plus: The news sources you need to be consulting on a daily basis.Recorded September 8, 2025.SUBSCRIBE: https://mooreo.substack.comSUBSCRIBE: https://youtube.com/@thepoliticratpodSUBSCRIBE: https://politicrat.substack.comPOLITICRAT ON SUBSTACK - News sources you must consult (written by Omar, September 8, 2025)https://open.substack.com/pub/politicrat/p/reputable-trustworthy-news-sources?r=judrw&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=trueJUSTICE SOTOMAYOR'S DISSENT IN THE RACIST SUPREME CT DECISION OF SEPT 8, 2025:https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/25a169_5h25.pdf#page=11PLEASE READ: "Some Ways To Improve Your Mental Health..." (Written on August 24, 2025) : https://open.substack.com/pub/mooreo/p/here-are-some-of-the-ways-you-can?r=275tyr&utm_medium=iosBUY BLACK!Patronize Lanny Smith's Actively Black apparel business: https://activelyblack.comPatronize Melanin Haircare: https://melaninhaircare.comPatronize Black-owned businesses on Roland Martin's Black Star Network: https://shopblackstarnetwork.comBLACK-OWNED MEDIA MATTERS: (Watch Roland Martin Unfiltered daily M-F 6-8pm Eastern)https://youtube.com/rolandsmartin Download the Black Star Network appIf you would like to contribute financially to The Politicrat: please send money via Zelle to omooresf@gmail.comSOCIAL MEDIA:https://fanbase.app/popcornreel(Invest in Fanbase now! https://startengine.com/fanbase)https://spoutible.com/popcornreelhttps://popcornreel.bsky.socialAnd spill.com (@popcornreel)

Ken and Seth kickoff a podcast by reviewing current state of the OWASP Top 10 project, given recent requests and interactions on Absolute AppSec slack from various contributors. This is followed by an in-depth breakdown of the recent NX npm package compromise. This breakdown shows that even though AI is weaponized to exfiltrate data, the main exploit was the result of a command injection flaw. Crocs and Socks coming back to bit all of us. Finally, Ken and Seth provide a list of resources used to monitor the wider security community.

Timestamps: 00:00 my little tech babs 00:08 YouTube age estimation model rolls out in the US 02:03 Reddit blocks Internet Archive over AI scraping concerns 03:08 Elon Musk vs. OpenAI drama escalates 04:33 Vessi! 05:28 QUICK BITS INTRO 05:33 Former Intel CEO's plan to “save” the company 06:24 Pixel 10 Pro Fold teaser – don't buy a Pixel yet 06:34 Perplexity AI offers $34.5B for Google Chrome 06:58 UK urges citizens to delete old emails to save water 07:26 Pebble Time 2 smartwatch unveiled 08:00 YouTuber hacks muscles to improve CS2 skills NEWS SOURCES: https://lmg.gg/QmfiQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Headline Highlights: in a shocking case, a man stabbed his girlfriend 258 times then took a selfie with their infant. Justice has finally been served for Sade Robinson's family, as her killer is sentenced to life in prison for her brutal dismemberment. The Arkansas hikers case also sees a major development, with the suspect confessing to the crimes. And in Tennessee, a manhunt has ended with the arrest of the suspect accused of killing four people and abandoning a 7-month-old baby.

This week on Headline Highlights, federal agents raided the controversial 7M TikTok cult, targeting a pastor and a talent agency at the center of the investigation. A woman was charged with murder after her missing husband's body was found in a carport. In Encino, California, an American Idol executive and her husband were found murdered in their home, sending shockwaves through the entertainment world. In Bibb County, Alabama, authorities uncovered a disturbing child sex abuse ring operating out of an underground bunker. A father was charged with the murder of his 9-year-old daughter, just hours after issuing a misleading Amber Alert. And in a heartbreaking tragedy at Devil's Den State Park, two young girls witnessed their parents' brutal murder while on a family hike.

Major news just dropped in the world of AI and copyright, and authors need to pay attention. A federal judge made a surprising ruling about how AI models can use books, and it could change everything. Plus, new opportunities for indie authors with MailerLite, PublishDrive, Bookvault, and more. Catch up on everything happening in publishing this week. Subscribe to The Self-Publishing Hub - https://TheSelfPublishingHub.com Subscribe to my email newsletter - https://DaleLinks.com/SignUp Join Channel Memberships - https://DaleLinks.com/Memberships Join Me on Discord - https://DaleLinks.com/Discord Check out my main YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@DaleLRoberts My Books - https://DaleLinks.com/MyBooks Wanna tip me? Visit https://dalelroberts.gumroad.com/coffee. News Sources:  AI chatbots need more books to learn from. These libraries are opening their stacks - https://apnews.com/article/ai-chatbot-training-data-libraries-idi-e096a81a4fceb2951f232a33ac767f53  Federal judge rules copyrighted books are fair use for AI training - https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/federal-judge-rules-copyrighted-books-are-fair-use-ai-training-rcna214766 Amazon Prime Day 2025 - https://www.amazon.com/primeday BookLinker - https://BookLinker.com KDP Royalty Calculator: Free Tool for Authors - https://kindlepreneur.com/kdp-royalty-calculator/?affiliate=selfpubwithdale (affiliate link) Bookvault - https://bookvault.app PublishDrive - https://dalelinks.com/publishdrive (affiliate link)  Spotify for Authors - https://authors.spotify.com How Indie Authors Are Doing in 2025: Mid-Year Survey Results - https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/we-asked-indie-authors-how-2025-is-going-heres-what-they-said/ All Call Indie - https://allcallindie.com/ New! Create and sell your digital products directly in MailerLite - https://dalelinks.com/mailerliteproducts (affiliate link) Get Authentic Book Reviews - https://getauthenticbookreviews.com Gemsy - https://dalelinks.com/gemsy (affiliate link) - use code DALE4JULY (good through July 8) BookMARCon - https://bookbrush.com/bookmarcon/ Author Nation - https://DaleLinks.com/AuthorNation (affiliate link) Where noted, some outbound links financially benefit the channel through affiliate programs. I only endorse programs, products, or services I use and can stand confidently behind. These links do not affect your purchase price and greatly helps to building and growing this channel. Thanks in advance for understanding! - Dale L. Roberts

NEWS SOURCES: https://shorturl.at/Wut2o TIME STAMPS 0:00 Intro 0:14 Fortnite owes gamers1:13 RTX 5050 GDDR?2:03 DDR4 is EXPENSIVE3:45 Chinese CPUs getting better4:18 BSOD turns Black4:56 Mario Kart changes5:29 Google Doppl6:03 Apple allows alternate app stores Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mass layoffs, AI court cases, and unsatisfied customers are all the rage today, but you know what else is cool? Noctua's got a new fan coming out. Heck ya. NEWS SOURCES: https://linustechtips.com/topic/1616193-mass-layoffs-dbrands-killswitch-woes-ai-training-isnt-piracy-more/ ► GET MERCH: https://lttstore.com ► GET EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ON FLOATPLANE: https://lmg.gg/lttfloatplane ► GET A VPN: https://www.piavpn.com/TechLinked ► LISTEN TO THE TECH NEWS: https://lmg.gg/TLPodcast ► SPONSORS, AFFILIATES, AND PARTNERS: https://lmg.gg/partners ► OUR PODCAST GEAR: https://lmg.gg/podcastgear Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Smerconish sits down with Pew Research Center's Elisa Shearer to unpack new data on media trust in America. Why do Republicans overwhelmingly trust only Fox News and Joe Rogan, while Democrats rely on a much broader mix of outlets? What does this growing media divide mean for political discourse—and democracy itself? A revealing conversation on the trust crisis shaping the nation's news diet. It is summarized in the piece she co-authored, "The Political Gap in Americans' News Sources." Original air date 12 June 2025.

Timestamps: 0:00 honestly i still don't know 0:09 SteamOS update for 3rd party devices! 1:29 OpenAI buys Jony Ive's company 2:46 Veo 3 goes viral, Claude 4 4:07 Scentbird! 5:24 QUICK BITS INTRO 5:31 Xiaomi Xring O1 6:14 Intel Arc B770 lives 7:08 Mozilla kills Pocket, Fakespot 7:48 Wacky Computex stuff! NEWS SOURCES: https://lmg.gg/SSldf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Timestamps: 0:00 eyes on the prize 0:12 Wii Homebrew Channel 'shuts down' 1:21 Spain, Portugal power outage 2:42 Two wacky AI studies 4:34 Ground News! 5:40 QUICK BITS INTRO 5:46 Nest Thermostat argument 6:26 Meta's chatbots are inappropriate 7:18 RTX 5080 Super, 5070 Super 7:53 Should we send seniors to space? NEWS SOURCES: https://lmg.gg/cQHdc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Headline Highlights, today's episode dives into everything happening this week in true crime with @ _annieelise. From new cases to updates on existing ones and more.

If you're in SF: Join us for the Claude Plays Pokemon hackathon this Sunday!If you're not: Fill out the 2025 State of AI Eng survey for $250 in Amazon cards!Unsupervised Learning is a podcast that interviews the sharpest minds in AI about what's real today, what will be real in the future and what it means for businesses and the world - helping builders, researchers and founders deconstruct and understand the biggest breakthroughs. Top guests: Noam Shazeer, Bob McGrew, Noam Brown, Dylan Patel, Percy Liang, David LuanFull Episode on Their YouTubeTimestamps* 00:00 Introduction and Excitement for Collaboration* 00:27 Reflecting on Surprises in AI Over the Past Year* 01:44 Open Source Models and Their Adoption* 06:01 The Rise of GPT Wrappers* 06:55 AI Builders and Low-Code Platforms* 09:35 Overhyped and Underhyped AI Trends* 22:17 Product Market Fit in AI* 28:23 Google's Current Momentum* 28:33 Customer Support and AI* 29:54 AI's Impact on Cost and Growth* 31:05 Voice AI and Scheduling* 32:59 Emerging AI Applications* 34:12 Education and AI* 36:34 Defensibility in AI Applications* 40:10 Infrastructure and AI* 47:08 Challenges and Future of AI* 52:15 Quick Fire Round and Closing RemarksTranscript[00:00:00] Introduction and Podcast Overview[00:00:00] Jacob: well, thanks so much for doing this, guys. I feel like we've we've been excited to do a collab for a while. I[00:00:13] swyx: love crossovers. Yeah. Yeah. This, this is great. Like the ultimate meta about just podcasters talking to other podcasters. Yeah. It's a lot. Podcasts all the way up.[00:00:21] Jacob: I figured we'd have a pretty free ranging conversation today but brought a few conversation starters to, to, to kick us off.[00:00:27] Reflecting on AI Surprises and Trends[00:00:27] Jacob: And so I figured one interesting place to start is you know, obviously it feels that this world is changing like every few months. Wondering as you guys reflect path on the past year, like what surprised you the most?[00:00:36] Alessio: I think definitely recently models we kinda on the, on the right here. Like, oh, that, well, I, I I think there's, there's like the, what surprised us in a good way.[00:00:44] May maybe in a, in a bad way. I would say in a good way. Recently models and I think the release of them right after the new reps scaling instead talked by Ilia. I think there was maybe like a, a little. It's so over and then we're so back. I'm like such a short, short period. It was really [00:01:00] fortuitous[00:01:00] Jacob: timing though, like right.[00:01:01] As pre-training died, I mean, obviously I'm sure within the labs they knew pre-training was dying and had to find something. But you know, from the outside it was it, it felt like one right into the other.[00:01:09] Alessio: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. So that, that was a good surprise,[00:01:12] swyx: I would say, if you wanna make that comment about timing, I think it's suspiciously neat that like, because we know that Strawberry was being worked on for like two years-ish.[00:01:20] Like, and we know exactly when Nome joined OpenAI, and that was obviously a big strategic bet by OpenAI. So like, for it to transition, so transition so nicely when like, pre-training is kind of tapped out to, into like, oh, now inference time is, is the new scaling law is like conv very convenient. I, I, I like if there were an Illuminati, this would be what they planned.[00:01:41] Or if we're living in a simulation or something. Yeah.[00:01:44] Open Source Models and Their Impact[00:01:44] swyx: Then you said open source[00:01:45] Alessio: as well? Yeah. Well, no, I, I think like open source. Yeah. We're discussing this on the negative. I would say the relevance of open source. I would specifically open models. Yeah, I was surprised the lack, like the llamas of the world by the lack of adoption.[00:01:56] And I mean, people use it obviously, but I would say nobody's [00:02:00] really like a huge fanboy, you know, I think the local llama community and some of the more obvious use cases really like it. But when we talk to like enterprise folks, it's like, it's cool, you know? And I think people love to argue about licenses and all of that, but the reality is that it doesn't really change the adoption path of, of ai.[00:02:18] So[00:02:19] swyx: yeah, the specific stat that I got from on anchor from Braintrust mm-hmm. In one of the episodes that we did was I think he estimated that open source model usage in work in enterprises is that like 5% and going down.[00:02:31] Jacob: And it feels like you're basically all these enterprises are in like use case discovery mode, where it's like, let's just take what we think is the most powerful model and figure out if we can find anything that works.[00:02:39] And, you know, so much of, of, of it feels like discovery of that. And then, right, as you've discovered something, a new generation of models are out and so you have to go do discovery with those. And you know, I think obviously we're probably optimistic that the that the open source models increase in uptake.[00:02:50] It's funny, I was gonna say my biggest surprise in the last year was open source related, but it was just how Fast Open Source caught up on the reasoning models. It was kind of unclear to me, like over time whether there would be, you know, [00:03:00] a compounding advantage for some of the closed source models where in the, okay, in the early days of, of scaling you know, there was a, a tight time loop, but over time, you know, would would the gap increase?[00:03:08] And if anything it feels like a trunk. You know, and I think deep seek specifically was just really surprising in how, you know, in many ways if the value of these model companies is like you have a model for a period of time and you're the only one that can build products on top of that model while you have it.[00:03:21] Like, God, that time period is a lot shorter than a, than I thought it was gonna be a year ago.[00:03:25] swyx: Yeah. I mean, again, I I, I don't like this label of how Fast Open Source caught up because it's really how Fast Deepsea caught up. Right. And now we have, like, I think some of it is that Deepsea is basically gonna stop open sourcing models.[00:03:36] Yeah. So like there, there's no team open source, there's just different companies and they choose to open source or not. And we got lucky with deep seek releasing something and then everyone else is basically distilling from deep seek and those are distillations. Catching up is such an easier lower bar than like actually catching up, which is like you, you are like from scratch.[00:03:56] You're training something that like is competitive on that front. I don't know if [00:04:00] that's happening. Like basically the only player right now is we're waiting for LA four.[00:04:03] Jordan: I mean, it's always an order of magnitude cheaper to replicate what's already been done than to create something fundamentally new.[00:04:09] And so that's why I think deep seek overall was overhyped. Right? I mean obviously it's a good open source, new entrant, but at the same time there's nothing new fundamentally there other than sort of doing it executing what's already been done really well.[00:04:21] Alessio: Yeah,[00:04:21] Jordan: right.[00:04:21] Alessio: So Well, but I think the traces is like maybe the biggest thing, I think most previous open models is like the same model, just a little worse and cheaper.[00:04:30] Yeah. Like R one is like the first model that had the full traces. So I think that's like a net unique thing in fair, open source. But yeah, I, I think like we talked about deep seek in the our n of year 2023 recap, and we're mostly focused on cheaper inference. Like we didn't really have deep, see, deep CV three[00:04:47] swyx: was out then, and we were like, that was already like talking about fine green mixture of experts and all that.[00:04:51] Like that's a great receipt to[00:04:52] Jacob: have[00:04:52] swyx: to be like, yeah.[00:04:52] Jacob: End[00:04:53] swyx: of year 20. Yeah. That's a,[00:04:54] Jacob: that's a, that's, that's an[00:04:55] swyx: impressive one. You follow the right whale believers in Twitter. It's, it's like [00:05:00] pretty obvious. I actually had like so, you know, I used to be in finance and, and a lot, a lot of my hedge fund and PE friends called me up.[00:05:06] They were like, why didn't you tip us off on deep seek? And I'm like, well, I mean, it's been there. It's, it's actually like kind of surprising that like, Nvidia like fell like what, 15% in one day? Yeah. Because deep seek and I, I think it's just like whatever the market, public market narrative decides is a story, becomes the story, but really like the technical movements are usually.[00:05:26] One to two years in the making. Before that,[00:05:27] Jacob: basically these people were telling on themselves that they didn't listen to your podcast. They've been on the end of year 22, 3. No, no,[00:05:32] swyx: no. Like yeah, we weren't, we weren't like banging the drum. So like it's also on us to be like, no, like this. This is an actual tipping point.[00:05:38] And I think I like as people who are like, our function as podcasters and industry analysts is to raise the bar or focus attention on things that you think matter. And sometimes we're too passive about it. And I think I was too passive there. I'd be, I'd be happy to own up on that.[00:05:52] Jacob: No, I feel like over time you guys have moved into this margin general role of like taking stances of things that are or aren't important and, you know I feel like you've done that with MCP of [00:06:00] late and a bunch of[00:06:00] swyx: things.[00:06:00] Yeah.[00:06:01] Challenges and Opportunities in AI Engineering[00:06:01] swyx: So like the, the general pushes is AI engineering, you know, like it's gotta, gotta wrap the shirt. And MCP is part of that, but like the, the general movement is what can engineers do above the model layer to augment model capabilities. And it turns out it's a lot. And turns out we went from like, making fun of GPT rappers to now I think the overwhelming consensus GPT wrappers is the only thing that's interesting.[00:06:20] Yeah.[00:06:21] Jacob: I remember like, Arvin from Perplexity came on our podcast and he was like, I'm proudly a rapper. Like, you know, it's like anyone that's like talking about like, you know, differentiation, like pre-product market fit is like a ridiculous thing to, to say, like, build something people want and then yeah.[00:06:33] Over time you can kind of worry about that.[00:06:35] swyx: Yeah. I, I interviewed him in 2023 and I think he may have been the first person on our podcast to like, probably be a GBT rapper. Yeah. And yeah, and obviously he's built a huge business on that. Totally. Now, now we now we all can't get enough of it. I have another one for, Oh, nice.[00:06:47] That was Alessia's one and we, we perhaps individual answers just to be interesting in the same Uber on the way up. Yeah. You just like in the, in different Oh, I was driving too. Oh, you were driving. So I actually, I mean, it was a Tesla mostly drove mine was [00:07:00] actually, it is interesting that low-code builders did not capture the AI builder market.[00:07:04] Right. AI builders being bought lovable, low-code builders being Zapier, Airtable, retool notion. Any of those, like you're not technical. You can build software.[00:07:14] misc: Yeah.[00:07:14] swyx: Somehow not all them missed it. Why? It's bizarre. Like they should have the DNA, I don't know. They should have. They already have the reach, they already have the, the distribution.[00:07:25] Like why? I I have no idea. The ability to[00:07:27] Jacob: fast follow too. Like I'm surprised there's Yeah. There's just[00:07:29] swyx: nothing. Yeah. What do you make of that? I, it seems and you know, not to come back to the AI engineering future, like it takes a, a certain kind of. Founder mindset or AI engineer mindset to be like, we will build this from whole cloth and not be tied to existing paradigms.[00:07:45] I think, 'cause I like, if I was, if I'm to, you know, you know, Wade or who's, who's, who's the Zapier person than, you know, Mike. Mike who has left the Zapier. Yeah. What's the, yeah. Like you know, Zapier, when they decided to do Zapier ai, they [00:08:00] were like, oh, you can use natural language to make Zap actions, right?[00:08:03] When Notion decided to do Notion ai, they were like, oh, you can like, you know write documents or, you know, fill in tables with, with ai. Like, they didn't do the, the, the, the next step because they already had their base and they were like, let's improve our baseline. And the other people who actually tried for to, to create a phone cloth were like, we, we got no prior preconceptions.[00:08:24] Like, let's see what we can, what kinda software people can build with like from scratch, basically. I don't know that, that's my explanation. I dunno if you guys have any retros on the AI builders?[00:08:33] Jacob: Yeah. Or, or, or did they kind of get lucky getting, you know starting that product journey? Like right as the models were reaching the inflection point?[00:08:39] There's the timing[00:08:40] swyx: issue. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I don't know. Like I, I, to some extent, I think the only reason you and I are talking about it is that they, both of them have reported like ridiculous numbers. Like zero to 20 million in three months, basically, both of them. Jordan, did you have a, a big surprise?[00:08:55] Jordan: Yeah, I mean, some of what's already been discussed. I guess the only other thing would be on the Apple side in particular, I [00:09:00] think, I think you know, for the last text message summary, like, but they're[00:09:04] Jacob: funny. They're funny at how bad they had, how off they're, they're viral. Yeah.[00:09:08] Jordan: I mean, so like for the last couple years we've seen so many companies that are trying to do personal assistance, like all these various consumer things, and one of the things we've always asked is, well, apple is in prime position to do all this.[00:09:18] And then with Apple Intelligence, they just. Totally messed up in so many different ways. And then the whole BBC thing saying that the guy shot himself when he didn't. And just like, there's just so many things at this point that I would've thought that they would've ironed up their, their AI products better, but just didn't really catch on,[00:09:35] Jacob: you know, second on this list of, of generally overly broad opening questions would be anything that you guys think is kind of like overhyped or under hyped in the AI world right now?[00:09:43] Alessio: Overhyped agents framework. Sorry. Not naming any particular ones. I'm sorry. Not, not not, yeah, exactly. It's not, I, I would say they're just overall a chase to try and be the framework when the workloads are like in such flux. Yeah. That I just think is like so [00:10:00] hard to reconcile the two. I think what Harrison and Link Chain has done so amazingly, it's like product velocity.[00:10:05] Like, you know, the initial obstructions were maybe not the ending obstruction, but like they were just releasing stuff every day trying to be on top of it. But I think now we're like past that, like what people are looking for now. It's like something that they can actually build on mm-hmm. And stay on for the next couple of years.[00:10:23] And we talked about this with Brett Taylor on our episode, and it feels like, it's like the jQuery era Yeah. Of like agents and lms. It's like, it's kinda like, you know, single file, big frameworks, kinda like a lot of players, but maybe we need React. And I think people are just trying to build still Jake Barry.[00:10:39] Like, I don't really see a lot of people doing react like,[00:10:43] swyx: yeah. Maybe the, the only modification I made about that is maybe it's too early even for frameworks at all. And the thing that, and do you think[00:10:50] Jacob: there's enough stability in the underlying model layer and, and patterns to, to have this,[00:10:54] swyx: the thing is the protocol and not the framework?[00:10:56] Jacob: Yeah.[00:10:56] swyx: Because frameworks inherently embed protocols, but if you just focus on a protocol, maybe that [00:11:00] works. And obviously MCP is. The current leading mm-hmm. Area. And you know, I think the comparison there would be, instead of just jQuery, it is XML HTB requests, which is like the, the thing that enabled Ajax.[00:11:10] And that was the, the, the, the, the sort of inciting incident for JavaScripts being popular as a language.[00:11:16] Jordan: I would largely agree with that. I mean, I think on the, the react side of things, I think we're starting to see more frameworks sort of go after more of that, I guess like master is sort of like on the TypeScript side and more of like a sort of master.[00:11:28] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. The traction is really impressive there. And so I think we're starting to see more surface there, but I think there's still a big opportunity. What do you have for for an over or under hyped on the under hype side? You know, I actually, I, I know I mentioned Apple already, but I think the private cloud compute side with PCC, I actually think that could be really big.[00:11:45] It's under the radar right now. Mm-hmm. But in terms of basically bringing. The on device sort of security to the cloud. They've done a lot of architecturally interesting things there. Who's they? Apple. Oh, okay. On the PCC side. And so I actually think of that.[00:11:58] swyx: So you're negative on Apple [00:12:00] Intelligence, but also on Apple Cloud,[00:12:01] Jordan: on the more of the local device.[00:12:04] Sort of, I think there'll be a lot of workloads still on device, but when you need to speak to the cloud for larger LLMs, I think that Apple has done really interesting thing on the privacy side.[00:12:13] Alessio: Yeah. We did the seed of a company that does that, so Yeah. Especially as things become more co that you set 'em up on purpose.[00:12:18] So that felt like a perfect Yeah, no, I was like, let's go Jordan, you guys concluding before this episode? Tell me about that company after. We'll chat after, but, but yes, I, I think that's like the unique the thing about LLM workflows is like you just cannot have everything be single tenant, right?[00:12:35] Because you just cannot get enough GPUs. Like even like large enterprises are used to having VPCs and like everything runs privately. But now you just cannot get enough GPUs to run in a VPC. So I think you're gonna need to be in a multi-tenant architecture, and you need, like you said, like single tenant guarantees in multi-tenant environment.[00:12:52] So yeah, it's a interesting space.[00:12:55] swyx: Yeah. What about you, Swiss? Under hypes, I want to say [00:13:00] memory. Just like stateful ai. As part of my keynote on, on for just like every, every conference I do, I do a keynote and I try to do the task of like defining an agent, just, you know, always evergreen content, every content for a keynote.[00:13:14] But I did it in a, in a way that it was like I think like a, what a researcher would do. Like you, you survey what people say and then you sort of categorize and, and go like, okay, this is the, the. What everyone calls agents and here are the groups of DEF definitions. Pick and choose. Right. And then it was very interesting that the week after that OpenAI launched their agents SDK and kind of formalized what they think agents are.[00:13:34] CloudFlare also did the same with us and none of them had memory. Yeah, it's very strange. The, pretty much like the only big lab o obviously there, there's conversation memory, but there's not memory memory like in like a, like a let's store a large across fact about you and like, you know, exceed the, the context length.[00:13:54] And here's the, if you, if you're look, if you look closely enough, there's a really good implementation of memory inside of [00:14:00] MCP when they launched with the initial set of servers. They had a memory server in there, which I, I would recommend as like, that's where you start with memory. But I think like if there was a better, I.[00:14:10] Memory abstraction, then a lot of our agents would be smarter and could learn on, on the job, which is something that we all want. And for some reason we all just like ignored that because it's just convenient to, and, but do you feel like[00:14:24] Jacob: it's being ignored or it's just a really hard problem and like lots of, I feel like lots of people are working on it.[00:14:27] Just feels like it's, it's proven more challenging.[00:14:29] swyx: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, so Harrison has lang me, which I think now he's like, you know, relaunched again. And then we had letter come speak at our mm-hmm. Our conference I don't know, Zep, I think there's a bunch of other memory guys, but like, something like this I think should be normal in the stack.[00:14:44] And basically I think anything stateful should be interesting to VCs 'cause it's databases and, you know, we know how those things make money.[00:14:51] Jacob: I think on the over hype side, the only thing I'd add is like, I'm, I'm still surprised how many net new companies there are training models. I thought we were kind of like past that.[00:14:58] And[00:14:58] swyx: I would say they died end of last year. And now, [00:15:00] now they've resurfaced. Yeah. I mean they, that's one of the questions that you had down there of like, yeah. Sorry. Is there an opportunity for net new model players? I wouldn't say no. I don't know what you guys think.[00:15:08] Alessio: I, I don't have a reason to say no, but I also don't have a reason to say, this is what is missing and you should have a new model company do it.[00:15:15] But again, I'm an add here. Like, all these guys wanna[00:15:17] swyx: pursue a GI, you know, all, they all want to be like, oh, we'll, we'll like hit, you know, soda on all the benchmarks and like, they can't all do it. Yeah.[00:15:25] Jacob: I mean, look, I don't know if Ilia has the secret secret approach up his sleeve of of something beyond test time compute.[00:15:29] Mm-hmm. But it was funny, I, we had Noam Shaer on the podcast last week. I was asking him like, you know, is, is there like some sort of other algorithmic breakthrough? Would he make a Ilia? And he's like, look, I think what he is implicitly said was test time compute gets to the point where these models are doing AI engineering for us.[00:15:43] And so, you know, at that point they'll figure out the next algorithm breakthrough. Yeah. Which I thought was was pretty interesting.[00:15:47] Jordan: I agree with you folks. I think that we're most interested, at least from our side and like, you know, foundation models for specific use cases and more specialized use cases.[00:15:55] Mm-hmm. I guess the broader point is if there is something like that, that these companies can latch onto [00:16:00] and being there sort of. Known for being the best at. Maybe there's a case for that. Largely though I do agree with you that I don't think there should be, at this point, more model companies. I think it's like[00:16:09] Jacob: these[00:16:09] Jordan: unique data[00:16:09] Jacob: sets, right?[00:16:10] I mean, obviously robotics has been an area we've been really interested in. It's entirely different set of data that's required, you know, on top of like a, a good BLM and then, you know, biology, material sciences, more the specific use cases basically. Yeah. But also specific, like specific markets. A lot of these models are super generalizable, but like, you know finding opportunities to, you know, where, you know, for a lot of these bio companies, they have wet labs, like they're like running a ton of experiments or you know, same on the material sciences side.[00:16:31] And so I still feel like there's some, some opportunities there, but the core kind of like LLM agent space is it's tough, tough to compete with the big ones.[00:16:38] Alessio: Yeah. Agree. Yeah. But they're moving more into product. Yeah. So I think that's the question is like, if they could do better vertical models, why not do that instead of trying to do deep research and operator?[00:16:50] And these different things. Mm-hmm. I think that's what I'm, in my mind, it's like the agents coming[00:16:53] swyx: out too.[00:16:54] Alessio: Well. Yeah. In my, in my mind it's like financial pressure. Like they need to monetize in a much shorter timeframe [00:17:00] because the costs are so high. But maybe it's like, it's not that easy to, do[00:17:04] Jacob: you think they would be, that it would be a better business model to like, do a bunch of vertical?[00:17:07] Well, it's more like[00:17:07] Alessio: why wouldn't they, you know, like you make less enemies if you're like a model builder, right? Yeah. Like, like now with deep research and like search, now perplexity like an enemy and like a, you know, Gemini deep research is like more of an enemy. Versus if they were doing a finance model, you know?[00:17:25] Mm-hmm. Or whatever, like they would just enable so many more companies and they always have, like they had as one of the customer case studies for GBT search, but they're not building a finance based model for them. So is it because it's super hard and somebody should do it? Or is it because the new models.[00:17:41] Are gonna be so much better that like the vertical models are useless anyways. Like this is better lesson. Exactly.[00:17:46] Jacob: It still seems to be a somewhat outstanding question. I, I'd say like, all the signs of the last few years seem to be like a general purpose model is like the way to go. And, you know, you know, like training a hyper-specific model in this, in, in a domain is like, you know, maybe it's cheaper and faster, but it's not gonna be like higher quality.[00:17:59] But [00:18:00] also like, I think it's still an, I mean, we were talking to, to no and Jack Ray from Google last week, and they were like, yeah, this is still an outstanding, like, we, we check this every time we have a new model. Like whether there's you know, there that still seems to be holding. I remember like a few years ago, it felt like all the rage was like the, it was like the Bloomberg GPT model came out.[00:18:14] Everyone was like, oh, you gotta like, you know, massive data. Yeah. I had[00:18:17] swyx: a GPA, I had DP of AI of Bloomberg present on that. Yeah. That must be a really[00:18:20] Jacob: interesting episode to go back on because I feel like, like very shortly thereafter, the next opening AI model came out and just like beat it on all sorts of[00:18:25] swyx: No, it, it was a talk.[00:18:26] We haven't released it yet, but yeah, I mean it's basically they concluded that the, the closed models were better so they just Yeah. Stopped. Interesting. Exactly. So I feel like that's been the but he's I, I would be. He's very insistent that the work that they did, the team he assembled, the data that he collected is actually useful for more than just the model.[00:18:42] So like, basically everything but the model survived. What are the other things? The data pipeline. Okay. The team that they, they, they assembled for like fine tuning and implementing whatever models they, they ended up picking. Yeah, it seems like they are happy with that. And they're running with that.[00:18:57] He runs like 12, 13 [00:19:00] teams at Bloomberg just working. Jenny, I across the company.[00:19:03] Jacob: I mean, I guess we've, we've all kind of been alluding it to it right now, but I guess because it's a natural transition. You know, the other broad opening I have is just what we're paying most attention to right now. And I think back on this, like, you know, the model company's coming into the product area.[00:19:13] I mean, I think that's gonna be like, I'm fascinated to see how that plays out over the next year and kind of these like frenemy dynamics and it feels like it's gonna first boil up on like cursor anthropic and like the way that plays out over the next six months I think will be. What, what is Cursor?[00:19:26] swyx: Anthropic is, you mean Cursor versus anthropic or, yeah. And I[00:19:29] Jacob: assume, you know, over time Anthropic wants to get more into the application side of coding Uhhuh. And you know, I assume over time Cursor will wanna diversify off of, you know, just using the Anthropic model.[00:19:39] swyx: It's interesting that now Cursor is now worth like 10 billion, nine, nine, 10 billion.[00:19:43] Yeah. And like they've made themselves hard to acquire, like I would've said, like, you should just get yourself to five, 6 billion and join OpenAI. And like all the training data goes through OpenAI and that's how they train their coding model. Now it's not as complicated. Now they need to be an independent company.[00:19:57] Jacob: Increasingly, it's seems to the model companies want to get into the [00:20:00] product layer. And so seeing over the next six, 12 months does having the best model, you know let you kind of start from a cold start on the product side and, and get something in market. Or are the, you know, companies with the best products, even if they eventually have to switch to a somewhat worse, tiny bit worse model, does it not, you know, where do the developers ultimately choose to go?[00:20:16] I think that'll be super interesting. Yeah.[00:20:18] Alessio: Don't you think that Devon is more in trouble than cursor? I, I feel like on Tropic, if anything wants to move more towards, I don't think they wanna build the ID like if I think about coding, it's like kind of like, you know, you look at it like a cube, it's like the ID is like one way to get the code and then the agent is like the other side.[00:20:33] Yeah. I feel like on Tropic wants more be on the agent side and then hand you off the cursor when you want to go in depth versus like trying to build the claw. IDEI think that's not, I would say, I don't know how you think the[00:20:46] swyx: existence, a cloud code doesn't show, doesn't support what you say. Like maybe they would, but[00:20:52] Jacob: assume, like I assume both just converge eventually where you want have where will you be able to do both?[00:20:57] So,[00:20:57] swyx: so in order to be so we're, we're talking [00:21:00] about coding agents, whether it's sort of what is it? Inner loop versus auto loop, right? Like inner loop is inside cursor, inside your ID between inside of a GI commit and auto loop is between GI commits on, on the cloud. And I think like to be an outer loop coding agent, you have to be more of a, like, we will integrate with your code base, we'll sign your whatever.[00:21:17] You know, security thing that you need to sign. Yeah. That kinda schlep. I don't think the model ads wanna do that schlep, they just want to provide models. So that, that, that's, that would be my argument against like why cognition should still have, have, have some moat against anthropic just simply because they cognition would do the schlep and the biz dev and the infra that philanthropic doesn't really care about.[00:21:39] Jacob: I know the schlep is pretty sticky though. Once you do it,[00:21:41] swyx: it's very sticky. Yeah. Yeah. I mean it's, it's, it's interesting. Like, I, I think the natural winner of that should be sourcegraph. But there's another[00:21:47] Jacob: unprompted point portfolio. Nice. We, I mean they, they're[00:21:51] swyx: big supporters like very friendly with both Quinn and B and they've they've done a lot of work with Cody, but like, no, not much work on the outer [00:22:00] loop stuff yet.[00:22:01] But like any company where like they have already had, like, we've been around for 10 years, we, we like have all the enterprise contracts that you already trust us with your code base. Why would you go trust like factory or cognition as like, you know, 2-year-old startups who like just came outta MIT Like, I don't know.[00:22:17] Product Market Fit in AI[00:22:17] Jacob: I guess switching gears to the to the application side I'm curious for both of you, like how do you kind of characterize what has genuine product market fit in AI today? And I guess less, you more and your side of the investing side, like more interesting to invest in that category of the stuff that works today or kind of where the capabilities are going long term.[00:22:35] Alessio: That's hard. I was asking you to do my job for you, like, man, that's a easy, that's a layout. Tell us all your investing[00:22:40] pieces. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I, I, I would say we, well we only really do mostly seed investing, so it's hard to invest in things that already work. Yeah. That fair. Are really late. So we try to, but, but we try to be at the cusp of like, you know, usually the investments we like to make, there's like really not that much market risk.[00:22:57] It's like if this works. Obviously people are gonna [00:23:00] use it, but like it's unclear whether or not it's gonna work. So that's kind of more what we skew towards. We try not to chase as many trends and I don't know, I, you know, I was a founder myself and sometimes I feel like it's easy to just jump in and do the thing that is hot, but like becoming a founder to do something that is like underappreciated or like doesn't yet work shows some level of like dread and self, like you, you actually really believe in the thing.[00:23:25] So that alone for me is like, kind of makes me skew more towards that. And you do a lot of angel investing too, so I'm curious how,[00:23:31] swyx: Yeah, but I don't regard, I don't have, I don't use, put, put that in my mental framework of things like I come at this much more as a content creator or market analyst of like, yeah, it, it really does matter to me what has part of market fit because.[00:23:45] People, I have to answer the question of what is working now When, when people ask me,[00:23:50] Jacob: do you feel like relative to the, the obviously the hype and discourse out there, like, you know, do you feel like there's a lot of things that have product market fit or like a few things, like where a few things? Yeah.[00:23:58] swyx: I was gonna say this, so I have a list [00:24:00] of like two years ago we, I wrote the Anatomy of autonomy posts where it was like the, the first, like what's going on in agents and, and and, and, and what is actually making money. Because I think there's a lot of gen I skeptics out there. They're all like, these, these things are toys.[00:24:13] They're, they're not unreliable. And you know, why, why, why you dedicating your life to these things. And I think for me, the party market fit bar at the time was a hundred million dollars, right? Like what use cases can reasonably fit a hundred million dollars. And at the time it was like co-pilot it was Jasper.[00:24:30] No longer, but mm-hmm. You know, in that category of like help you write. Yeah. Which I think, I think was, was helpful. And then and the cursor I think was on there as, as a, as, as, as like a coding agent. Plus plus. I think that list will just grow over time of like the form factors that we know to work, and then we can just adapt the form factors to a bunch of other things.[00:24:47] So like the, the one that's the most recently added to this is deep research.[00:24:52] misc: Yeah.[00:24:52] swyx: Right. Where anything that looks like a deep research whether it's a grok version, Gemini version, perplexity version, whatever. He has an investment [00:25:00] that that he likes called Brightwave that is basically deep research for finance.[00:25:02] Yeah. And anything where like all it is like long-term agent, agent reporting and it's starting to take more and more of the job away from you and, and just give you much more reason to report. I think it's going to work. And that has some PMFI think obviously has PMF like I, I would say. It's I, I went to this exercise of trying to handicap how much money open AI made from launching open ai deep research.[00:25:25] I think it's billions. Like the, the, the mo the the she upgrade from like $20 to 200. It has to be billions in the R off. Maybe not all them will stick around, but like that is some amount of PMF that is didn't they have to immediately drop it down[00:25:38] Jacob: to the $20 tier?[00:25:39] swyx: They expanded access. I don't, I wouldn't say, which I thought was[00:25:42] Jacob: really telling of the market.[00:25:43] Right. It's like where you have a you know, I think it's gonna be so interesting to see what they're actually able to get in that 200 or $2,000 tier, which we all think is, is, you know, has a ton of potential. But I thought it was fascinating. I don't know whether it was just to get more people exposure to it or the fact that like Google had a similar product obviously, and, and other folks did too.[00:25:59] But [00:26:00] it was really interesting how quickly they dropped it down.[00:26:02] swyx: I don't, I think that's just a more general policy of no matter what they have at the top tier, they always want to have smaller versions of that in the, in the lower tiers. Yeah. And just get people exposure to it. Just, yeah, just get exposure.[00:26:12] The brand of being first to market and, and like the default choice Yeah. Is paramount to open ai[00:26:18] Jacob: though. I thought that whole thing was fascinating 'cause Google had the first product, right? Yeah. And no, like, you know, I, we[00:26:24] swyx: interviewed them. I, I, I, straight up to their faces, I was like, opening, I mocked you.[00:26:28] And they were like, yeah, well, actually curious, what's[00:26:30] Jacob: it, this is totally off topic, but whatever. Like, what is it going to take for go? Google just released some great models like a, a few weeks ago. Like I feel like it's happening. The stuff they're shipping is really cool. It's happening. Yeah, but I, I, I also, I feel like at least in the, you know, broader discourse, it's still like a drop in the bucket relative to[00:26:45] swyx: Yeah.[00:26:45] I mean, I, I can riff on, on this. I, I, but I, I think it's happening. I think it takes some time, but I am, like my Gemini usage is up. Like, I, I use, I use it a lot more for anything from like summarizing YouTube videos to the [00:27:00] native image generation Yeah. That they just launched to like flash thinking.[00:27:02] So yeah, multi-mobile stuff's great. Yeah. I run you know, and I run like a daily sort of news recap called AI news that is, 99% generated by models, and I do a bake off between all the frontier models every day. And it's every day. Like does it switch? I manual? Yes, it does switch. And I, man, I manually do it.[00:27:18] And flash is, flash wins most days. So, so like, I think it's happening. I think I was thinking, I was thinking about tracking myself like number of opens of tragedy, g Bt versus Gemini. And at some point it will cross. I think that Gemini will be my main and, and it, it, I I like that will slowly happen for a bunch of people.[00:27:37] And, and, and then that will, that'll shift. I, I think that's, that's a really interesting for developers, this is a different question. Yeah. It's Google getting over itself of having Google Cloud versus Vertex versus AI studio, all these like five different brands, slowly consolidating it. It'll happen just slowly, I guess.[00:27:53] Alessio: Yeah.[00:27:54] Yeah. I, I mean, another good example is like you cannot use the thinking models in cursor. Yeah. And I know [00:28:00] Logan killed Patrick's that they're working on it, but I, I think there's all these small things where like if I cannot easily use it, I'm really not gonna go out of my way to do it. But I do agree that when you do use them, their models are, are great.[00:28:12] So yeah. They just need better, better bridges.[00:28:15] swyx: You had one of the questions in the prep.[00:28:16] Debating Public Companies: Google vs. Apple[00:28:16] swyx: What public company are you long and short and minus Google versus, versus Apple, like, long, short. That was also my[00:28:23] Jacob: combo. I, I feel like, yeah, I mean, it does feel like Google's really cooking right now.[00:28:26] swyx: Yeah. So okay, coming back to what has product market fit[00:28:29] Jacob: now,[00:28:29] swyx: now that we come[00:28:30] Jacob: back to my complete total sidetrack,[00:28:33] Customer Support and AI's Role[00:28:33] swyx: there's also customer support.[00:28:35] We were talking on, on the car about Decagon and Sierra, obviously Brett, Brett Taylor is founder of Sierra. And yeah, it seems like there's just this, these layers of agents that'll like, I think you just look at like the income statement or like the, the org chart of any large scaled company and you start picking them off one by one.[00:28:51] What like is interesting knowledge work? And they would just kind of eat. Things slowly from the outside in. Yeah, that makes sense.[00:28:57] Alessio: I, I mean, the episode with the, [00:29:00] with Brett, he's so passionate about developer tools and Yeah. He did not do a developer tools. We spent like two hours talking about developer tools and like, all, all of that stuff.[00:29:10] And it's like, I, they a customer support company, I'm like, man, that says something. You know what I mean? Yeah. It's like when you have somebody like him who can like, raise any amount of money from anybody to do anything. Yeah. To pick customer support as the market to go after while also being the chairman of OpenAI, like that shows you that like, these things have moats and have longstanding, like they're gonna stick around, you know?[00:29:32] Otherwise he's smarter than that. So yeah, that's a, that's a space where maybe initially, you know, I would've said, I don't know, it's like the most exciting thing to, to jump into, but then if you really look at the shape of like, how the workforce are structured and like how the cost centers of like the business really end up, especially for more consumer facing businesses, like a lot of it goes into customer support.[00:29:54] AI's Impact on Business Growth[00:29:54] Alessio: All the AI story of the last two years has been cost cutting. Yeah. I think now we're gonna switch more towards growth revenue. [00:30:00] Totally. You know, like you've seen Jensen, like last year, GTC was saying the more you buy, the more you save this year is that the more you buy, the more you make. So we're hot off the[00:30:08] Jacob: press.[00:30:10] We were there. We were there. Yeah. I do think that's one of the most interesting things about the, this first wave of apps where it's like almost the easiest thing that you could you could get real traction with was stuff that, you know, for lack of a better way to frame it, like so that people had already been comfortable outsourcing the BPOs or something and kind of implicitly said like, Hey, this is a cost center.[00:30:24] Like we are willing to take some performance cut for cost in the past. You know, the, the irony of that, or what I'm really curious to see how it plays out is, you know, you, you could imagine that is the area where price competition is going to be most fierce because it's already stuff that you know, that people have said, Hey, we don't need the like a hundred percent best version of that.[00:30:42] And I wonder, you know, this next wave of apps. May prove actually even more defensible as you get these capabilities that actually are, you know, increased top line or whatnot where you're like, you take ai, go to market, for example. Like you're, you'd pay like twice as much for something that brought, like, 'cause there's just a kind of very clean ROI story to it.[00:30:59] And so [00:31:00] I wonder ultimately whether the, like this next set of apps actually ends up being more interesting than the, than the first wave.[00:31:05] Alessio: Yeah,[00:31:05] Voice AI and Scheduling Solutions[00:31:05] Jordan: I think a lot of the voice AI ones are interesting too, because you don't need a hundred percent precision recall to actually, you know, have a great product.[00:31:12] And so for example, we looked into a bunch of you know, scheduling intake companies, for example, like home services, right? For electricians and stuff like that. Today they miss 50% of their calls. So even if the AI is only effective, say 75% of the time, yeah, it's crazy, right? So if it's effective 75% of the time, that's totally fine because that's still a ton of increased revenue for the customer, right?[00:31:32] And so you don't need that a hundred percent accuracy. Yeah. And so as the models. And the reliability of these agents are getting better is totally fine, because you're still getting a ton of value in the meantime.[00:31:41] swyx: Yeah. One, this is, I don't know how related this is, but I, one of my favorite meetings at it is related one of my favorite meetings at AI Engineer Summit, it is like, like I do these, this is our first one in New York, and I it is like met the different crew than, than you meet here.[00:31:55] Like everyone here is loves developer tools, loves infra over there. They're actually more interested in [00:32:00] applications. It's kind of cool. I met this like bootstrap team that, like, they're only doing appointment scheduling for vets. They, they, yeah. And like, they're like, this is a, this is an anomaly. We don't usually come to engineering summits 'cause we usually go to vet summits and like talk to the, they're, they're like, you know, they, they're, they're literally, I'm sure it's a[00:32:16] Jordan: massive pain point.[00:32:17] They're willing to pay a lot of money.[00:32:20] Alessio: Yeah. But, but, but this is like my point about saving versus making more, it's like if an electrician takes two x more calls, do they have the bandwidth? To actually do two X more in-house and they get higher. Well, yeah, exactly. That's the thing is like, I don't think today most businesses are like structured to just like overnight two, three x the band, you know?[00:32:38] I think that's like a startup thing. Like mo most businesses then you make an[00:32:42] swyx: electrician agent. Well, no, totally. That's how do you, how do you recruiting agent for electrician, for like[00:32:49] Alessio: electrician. Great. That's a good point. How do you do lambda school for electrician? I, it's hilarious.[00:32:53] Jacob: Whack-a-mole for the bottlenecks in these businesses.[00:32:55] Like as, oh, now we have a ton of demand. Like, cool. Like where do we go?[00:32:58] swyx: Yeah.[00:32:59] Exploring AI Applications in Various Fields[00:32:59] swyx: So just to [00:33:00] round out the, the this PMF thing I think this is relevant in a certain sense of, like, it's pretty obvious that the killer agents are coding agents, support agents, deep research, right? Roughly, right. We've covered all those three already.[00:33:10] Then, then, then you have to sort of be, turn to offense and go like, okay, what's next? And like, what, what about, I[00:33:16] Jacob: mean, I also just like summarization of, of voice and conversation, right? Yep. Absolutely. We actually had that on there. I[00:33:21] swyx: just, I didn't put it as agent. Because seems less agentic, you know? But yes, still, still a good AI use case.[00:33:26] That one I, I've seen I would mention granola and what's the other one? Monterey, I think a bridge was one wanted to mention. I was say bridge. Yeah, bridge. Okay. So I'll just, I'll call out what I had on my slides. Yeah. For, for the agent engineering thing. So it was screen sharing, which I think is actually kind of, kind of underrated.[00:33:42] Like people, like an AI watching you as you do your work and just like offering assistance outbound sales. So instead of support, just being more outbound hiring, you say[00:33:51] Jacob: outbound sales has brought a market fit?[00:33:53] swyx: No, it, it, it will, it's come out. Oh, on the comp. Yeah. I was totally agree with that. Yeah. Hiring like the recruiting side education, like the, [00:34:00] the sort of like personalized teaching, I think.[00:34:02] I'm kind of shocked we haven't seen more there. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know if that's like, like it's like Duolingo is the thing. Amigo.[00:34:08] Jacob: Yeah. I mean, speak in some of these like, you know,[00:34:10] swyx: speak, practice, yeah. Interesting. And then finance, I, there's, there's a ton of finance cases that we can talk about that and then personal ai, which we also had a little bit of that, but I think personal AI is a harder to monetize, but I, I think those would be like, what I would say is up and coming in terms of like, that's what I'm currently focusing on.[00:34:27] Jacob: I feel like this question's been asked a few different ways but I'm, I'm curious what you guys think it's like, is it like, if we just froze model capabilities today, like is there, you know, trillions of dollars of application value to be unlocked? Like, like AI education? Like if we just stopped today all model development, like with this current generation of models, we could probably build some pretty amazing education apps.[00:34:44] Or like, how much of this, how much of, of all this is like contingent upon just like, okay, people have had two years with GBT four and like, you know, I don't know, six months with the reasoning models, like how much is contingent upon it just being more time with these things versus like the models actually have to get better?[00:34:58] I dunno, it's a hard question, so I'm gonna just throw it [00:35:00] to you.[00:35:00] Alessio: Yeah. Well I think the societal thing, it's maybe harder, especially in education. You know, like, can you basically like Doge. The education system. Probably you should, but like, can you, I I think it's more of a human,[00:35:14] Jacob: but people pay for all sorts of like, get ahead things outside of class and you know, certainly in other countries there's a ton of consumer spend and education.[00:35:21] It feels like the market opportunity is there.[00:35:23] swyx: Yeah. And, and private education, I think yeah, public Public is a very different, yeah. One of my most interesting quests from last year was kind of reforming Singapore's education system to be more sort of AI native, just what you were doing on the side while you were Yes.[00:35:38] That's a great, that's a great side quest. My stated goal is for Singapore to be the first country that has Python as a first language, as a, as a national language. Anyway, so, but the, the, the, the defense, the pushback I got from Ministry of Education was that the teachers would be unprepared to do it.[00:35:53] So it's like, it was like the def the, like, the it was really interesting, like immediate pushback. Was that the defacto teachers union being like, [00:36:00] resistant to change and like, okay. It's that that's par for the course. Anyway, so not, not to, not to dwell too much on that, but like yeah, I mean, like, I, I think like education is one of those things that pe everyone, like has strong opinions on.[00:36:11] 'cause they all have kids, all be the education system. But like, I think it's gonna be like the, the domain specific, like, like speak like such a amazing example of like top down. Like, we will go through the idea maze and we'll go to Korea and teach them English. Like, it's like, what the hell? And I would love to see more examples of that.[00:36:29] Like, just like really focus, like no one tried to solve everything. Just, just do your thing really, really well[00:36:34] Defensibility in AI Applications[00:36:34] Jacob: on this trend of of, of difficult questions that come up. I'm gonna just ask you the one that my partners like to ask me every single Monday, which is how do you think about defensibility at the at the app layer?[00:36:41] Alessio: Oh[00:36:41] Jacob: yeah, that's great. Just gimme an answer. I can copy paste and just like, you know, have network effects. Auto, auto response.[00:36:47] swyx: Honestly like network effects. I think people don't prioritize those enough because they're trying to make the single player experience good. But then, then they neglect the [00:37:00] multiplayer experience.[00:37:00] I think one of the I always think about like load-bearing episodes, like, you know, as, as park that you do one a week and like, you know, some of those you don't really talk about ever again. And others you keep mentioning every single podcast. And one of the, this is obviously gonna be the last one. I think the recap episodes for us are pretty load-bearing.[00:37:15] Like we, we refer to them every three months or so. And like one of them I think for us is Chai for me is chai research, even though that wasn't like a super popular one among the broader community outside of Chai, the chai community, for those who don't know, chai Research is basically a character AI competitor.[00:37:32] Right. They were bootstraps, they were founded at the same time and they have out outlasted character of de facto. Right. It's funny, like I, I would love to ask Mil a bit more about like the whole character thing, but good luck getting past the Google copy. But like, so he, like, he, like he doesn't have his own models, basically he has his own network of people submitting models to be run.[00:37:54] And I think like. That is like short term going to be hurting him because he doesn't have [00:38:00] proprietary ip. But long term he has the network network effect to make him robust to any changes in the future. And I think, like I wanna see more of that where like he's basically looking himself as kind of a marketplace and he's identified the choke point, which is will be app or the, the sort of protocol layer that interfaces between the users and the model providers.[00:38:18] And then make sure that the money kind of flows through and that works. I, I wish that more AI builders or AI founders emphasize network effects. 'cause that that's the only thing that you're gonna have with the end of the day. Yeah. And like brand deeds into network effects you.[00:38:34] Jacob: Yeah, I guess you know, harder in, in the enterprise context.[00:38:36] Right. But I mean, I feel, it's funny, we do this exercise and I feel like we talk a lot about like, you know, obviously there's, you know kind of the velocity and the breadth you're able to kind of build of product surface area. There's just like the ability to become a brand in a space. Like, I'm shocked that even in like six, nine months, how an individual company can become synonymous with like an entire category.[00:38:52] And like, then they're in every room for customers and like all the other startups are like clawing their way to try and get in like one, you know, 20th of those rooms.[00:38:59] Jordan: There's a [00:39:00] bunch of categories where we talk about an IC and it's like, oh, pricing compression's gonna happen, not as defensible. And so ACVs are gonna go down over time.[00:39:08] In actuality, some of these, the ACVs have doubled, we've seen, and the reason for that is just, you know, people go to them and pay for that premium of being that brand.[00:39:16] Jacob: Yeah. I mean, one thing I'm struck by is there's been, there was such a head fake in the early days of, of AI apps where people were like, we want this amazing defensibility story, and then what's the easiest defensibility story?[00:39:24] It's like, oh, like. Totally unique data set or like train your own model or something. And I feel like that was just like a total head fake where I don't think that's actually useful at all. It's the much less, you sound much less articulate when you're like, well the defensibility here is like the thousand small things that this company does to make like the user experience design everything just like delightful and just like the speed at which they move to kind of both create a really broad product, but then also every three, six months when a new model comes out, it's kind of an existential event for like any company.[00:39:49] 'cause if you're not the first to like figure out how to use it, someone else will. Yeah. And so velocity really matters there. And it's funny in in, in kinda our internal discussions, we've been like, man, that sounds pretty similar to like how we thought about like application SaaS [00:40:00] companies. That there isn't some like revolutionary reason you don't sound like a genius when you're like, here's applications why application SaaS company A is so much better than B.[00:40:07] But it's like a lot of little things that compound over time.[00:40:10] Infrastructure and AI: Current Trends[00:40:10] Jacob: What about the infrastructure space, guys? Like I'm curious you know. What, how do you guys think about where the interesting categories are here today and you know, like where, where, where do you wanna see more startups or, or where do you think there are too many?[00:40:21] Alessio: Yeah. Yeah, we call it kind of the L-L-M-O-S. But I would say[00:40:24] swyx: not we, I mean Andre, Andre calls it LMOS[00:40:27] Alessio: Well, but yeah, we, well everyone else just copies whatever two. And Andre, the three of you call it the LMO. Well, we have just like four words of ai framework Yeah. Yeah. That we use. And LM Os is one of them, but yeah, I mean, code execution is one.[00:40:39] We've been banging the drum, everybody now knows where investors in E two B. Mm-hmm. Memory, you know, is one that we kind of touched on before. Super interesting search we talked about. I, I think those are more not traditional infra, not like the bare metal infra. It's more like the infra around the tools for agents model, you know?[00:40:57] Which I think is where a lot of the value is gonna [00:41:00] be. The security[00:41:00] swyx: ones. Yeah.[00:41:01] Alessio: Yeah. And cyber security. I mean there's so much to be done there. And it's more like basically any area where. AI is being used by the offense. AI needs to be applied on the defense side, like email security, you know, identity, like all these different things.[00:41:16] So we've been doing a lot there as well as, you know, how do you rethink things that used to be costly, like red teaming and maybe used to be a checkbox in the past Today they can be actually helpful. Yeah. To make you secure your app. And there's this whole idea of like, semantics, right? That not the models can be good at.[00:41:32] You know, in the past everything is about syntax. It's kind of like very basic, you know, constraint rules. I think now you can start to infer semantics from things that are beyond just like simple recognition to like understanding why certain things are happening a certain way. So in the security space, we're seeing that with binary inspection, for example.[00:41:51] Like there's kinda like the syntax, but then there are like semantics of like understanding what is the scope overall really trying to do. Even though this [00:42:00] individual syntax, it's like seeing something specific. Not to get too technical, but yeah, I, I think infra overall, it's like a super interesting place if you're making use of the model, if you're just, I'm less bullish.[00:42:13] Not, not that it's not a great business, but I think it's a very capital intensive business, which is like serving the models. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I think that infra is like, great people will make money, but yeah. I, I, I don't think there's as much of a interest from, from us at[00:42:25] Jordan: least. Yeah. How, how do you guys think about what OpenAI and the big research labs will encompass as part of the developer and infra category?[00:42:31] Yeah.[00:42:31] Alessio: That, that's why I, I would say I search is the first example of one of the things we used to mention on, you know, we had X on the podcast and perplexity obviously as a, as an API. The basic idea[00:42:44] swyx: is if you go into like the chat GBT custom GPT builder, like what are the check boxes? Each of them is a startup.[00:42:50] Alessio: Yeah. And, and now they're also APIs. So now search is also an a p, we will see what the adoption is. There's the, you know, in traditional infra, like everybody wants to be [00:43:00] multi-cloud, so maybe we'll see the same Where change GPD search or open AI search. API is like, great with the open AI models because you get it all bundled in, but their price is very high.[00:43:11] If you compare it to like, you know, XI think is like five times the, the price for the same amount of research, which makes sense if you have a big open AI contract. But maybe if you're just like pick and best in breed, you wanna compare different ones. Yeah. Yeah, they don't have a code execution one.[00:43:26] I'm sure they'll release one soon. So they wanna own that too, but yeah. Same question we were talking about before, right? Did they wanna be an API company or a product company? Do you make more money building Tri g BT search or selling search? API?[00:43:38] swyx: Yeah. The, the broader lesson, instead of like going, we did applications just now.[00:43:42] And then what do you think is interesting infrastructure? Like it's not 50 50, it's not like equal weighted, like it, it's just very clearly the application layer has like. Been way more interesting. Like yes, there, there's interesting in infrastructure plays and I even want to like push back on like the, the, the whole GPU serving thing because like together [00:44:00] AI is doing well, fireworks, I mean I was, that worked.[00:44:02] Alessio: It's like data[00:44:02] Jacob: centers[00:44:03] Alessio: and inference[00:44:03] Jacob: providers,[00:44:04] Alessio: the,[00:44:04] swyx: you know,[00:44:04] Alessio: I think it's not like the capital[00:44:06] swyx: Oh, I see.[00:44:07] Alessio: I for, for again, capital efficiency. Yeah. Much larger funds. So you, I'm sure you have GPU clouds. Yeah.[00:44:13] swyx: Yeah. So that's, that's, that is one thing I have been learning in, in that you know, I think I have historically had dev tools and infra bias and so has he, and we've had to learn that applications actually are very interesting and also maybe kind of the killer application of models in a sense that you can charge for utility and not for cost.[00:44:33] Right? Which, where like most infrastructure reduces to cost plus. Yeah. Right. So, and like, that's not where you wanna be for ai. So that's, that's interesting for, for me I thought it would be interesting for me to be the only non VC in the room to be saying what is not investible. 'cause like then I then, you know, you can I, I won't be canceled for saying like, your, your whole category is, we have a great thing where like, this thing's[00:44:54] Jacob: not investible and then like three months later we're desperately chasing.[00:44:56] Exactly. Exactly. So you don't wanna be on a record space changes so [00:45:00] fast. It's like you gotta, every opinion you hold, you have to like, hold it quite loosely. Yeah.[00:45:02] swyx: I'm happy to be wrong in public, you know, I think that's how you learn the most, right? Yeah. So like, fine tuning companys is something I struggled with and still, like, I don't see how this becomes a big thing.[00:45:12] Like you kind of have to wrap it up in a broader, ser broader enterprise AI company, like services company, like a writer, AI where like they will find you and it's part of the overall offering. Mm-hmm. But like, that's not where you spike. Yeah, it's kind of interesting. And then I, I'll, I'll just kind of AI DevOps and like, there's a lot of AI SRE out there seems like.[00:45:32] There's a lot of data out there that that should be able to be plugged into your code base or, or, or your app to it's self-heal or whatever. It's just, I don't know if that's like, been a thing yet. And you guys can correct me if you're, if I'm wrong. And then the, the last thing I'll mention is voice realtime infra again, like very interesting, very, very hot.[00:45:49] But again, how big is it? Those are the, the main three that I'm thinking about for things I'm struggling with.[00:45:54] Jordan: Yeah. I guess a couple comments on the A-I-S-R-E side. I actually disagree with that one. Yeah. I think that the [00:46:00] reason they haven't sort of taken off yet is because the tech is just not there quite yet.[00:46:04] And so it goes back to the earlier question, do we think about investing towards where the companies will be when the models improve versus now? I think that's going to be, in short term we'll get there, but it's just not there just yet. But I think it's an interesting opportunity overall.[00:46:18] swyx: Yeah. It's my pushback to you is, well it's monitoring a lot of logs, right?[00:46:22] Yeah. And it's basically anomaly detection rather than. Like there's, there's a whole bunch of like stuff that can happen after you detect the anomaly, but it's really just an anomaly detection. And we've always had that, you know, like it's, this is like not a Transformers LLM use case. This is just regular anomaly detection.[00:46:38] Jordan: It's more in terms of like, it's not going to be an autonomous SRE for a while. Yeah. And so the question is how, how much can the latest sort of AI advancements increase the efficacy of going, bringing your MTTR

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This episode is a must-listen for those looking to navigate today's complex media landscape with clarity and confidence. In this episode of Leading in Color, host Sarah Morgan continues the BlackBlogsMatter / BlackPodsMatter challenge with a critical discussion on “Trusting News Sources.” With growing censorship, misinformation, and biased reporting, Sarah emphasizes the importance of evaluating news sources with discernment. She shares four key questions to help listeners determine whether a source is credible Sarah also discusses how overexposure to negative news can impact mental health, stressing the need for intentional media consumption. She encourages listeners to seek reliable, fact-based journalism while protecting their well-being from media-induced stress and fear. Follow Leading in Color on Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn, and don't forget to leave a 5-star review. Join the conversation using #BlackBlogsMatter. Visit BuzzARooneyLLC for Sarah's list of news sources to follow as mentioned in the episode. 

Edition No97 | 15-02-2025 - Europe's new Munich moment happened on the eve of the Munich Security Conference. And it was at this event in 2007, 18 years ago, that Vladimir Putin announced his intention to create a new security architecture for Europe – a new world order in fact. He was ignored, and Europe was presumed to be secure. The aggressor was appeased, and his lawless aggression normalised. We carried on growing fat, rich and ignoring the echoes from history. ----------Here we are. A seamless path towards democratic transition was assumed for countries of the former Soviet Bloc, and not nearly enough thought and effort were given to nurturing it. We just forgot our own histories and paths to democracy which were stained with blood, tears sacrifices and nobility. In fact, the opposite happened – a headlong rush to disarm Ukraine, reassert Russia as prime voice of the region, and abandonment to financial self-interest through the creation of money laundering efforts such as Londongrad. Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind, as the phrase goes. Ukraine has shown that the path to democracy is hard, and involves trauma, violence, radical thinking and bold action. It's not easy – and never was. But before we dive into the maelstrom of news engulfing the world. Let's take a moment of calm to understand what Ukraine has achieved and reflect on the fact that it is not conquered, despite the lies and delusions coming from Tucker Carlson, Viktor Orban, Fico, Gabbard and any number of other appeasing puppets of tyrannical regimes. Here is a calm image, and a reminder of what Ukraine is capable of, born of strength, will and ingenuity: Russia's Black Sea fleet destroyed. Now more grain is exported through the Black Sea route that Russia tried to blockade than before Putin's full-scale war. ----------SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISERA project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------NEWS SOURCES:https://www.channel4.com/news/trump-shocks-europe-with-avalanche-of-concessions-to-putin-over-ukraine https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/12/politics/video/john-bolton-trump-putin-ukraine-russia-negotiations-digvid https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/02/13/7498050/ https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-stun-europe-peace-plan-ukraine-nato/ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8ed3nk3n6ro https://news.sky.com/video/ceasefire-talks-not-a-betrayal-of-ukrainian-forces-says-us-defence-secretary-pete-hegseth-13308348----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN 10 Events in 10 months - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur first live events this year in Lviv and Kyiv were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run 10 events in 10 months (at a minimum). We may add more venues to the program, depending on the success of the fundraising campaign. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

Edition No96 | 14-02-2025 - Last night Russia struck the fourth reactor of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, causing serious damage to the protective shielding. There is an almost zero possibility this was an accident, or not explicitly ordered by Vladimir Putin. It's a signal. It's a show of force and contempt for Western ‘peace-making', or what he sees as weakness and capitulation. ----------We ran two events in Ukraine in the last two weeks. Lviv (part 2) and Kyiv. The event we ran in August 2023 was a huge success, and had a great impact. Now our aim is even more ambitious. Two cities. Two events. Multiple panels consisting of the best experts, and all filmed in high definition for the channel.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasBut it costs. Last time the overall cost was £3,500 for Live in Lviv, and we covered 80% of this through ticket sales. This time the costs are higher, and there's less opportunity to sell tickets at the available venues and studios, so I'm creating a campaign to raise £5,000 to make this trip a reality. We also have a much more ambitious programme to film interviews around Kyiv and Lviv for the channel. This project will have an impact, so please help if you can. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------There are never any accidents in target or timing when Russia wants to send a signal. Bombing the kid's cancer hospital in Kyiv was one such moment, and this is another. Russia deliberately chose the day of the Munich Security Conference to send a message.Yesterday, Putin spoke with Trump about a potential ceasefire, and through various mechanisms and actions that are not yet fully exposed, encourage Trump to say a bunch of alarming, misinformed, appeasing and flattering statements – flattering that is for Putin. Hinting that Ukraine is not fully party to negotiations, that it is partially culpable for the war, and that Russia has some rights over stolen lands because it ‘lost people' there. Make no mistake, this is a PR and psychological victory for Putin. So how does he react? ----------SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISERA project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------NEWS SOURCES:https://kyivindependent.com/chornobyl-nuclear-plant-shelter-damaged-in-russian-drone-strike/https://www.lbc.co.uk/world-news/russia-targets-chernobyl-high-explosive-drone-significant-damage/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-chernobyl-trump-live-news-b2698249.htmlhttps://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/14/europe/russia-ukraine-drones-chernobyl-intl-hnk/index.htmlhttps://www.lbc.co.uk/world-news/ukraine-munich-trump-russia-appeasement/https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-warns-of-russian-military-buildup-potential-nato-threat-in-2026/https://kyivindependent.com/russia-to-rejoin-global-economy-europes-energy-system-after-russia-ukraine-peace-deal-orban-says/ ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

Edition No95 | 10-02-2025 - Careless smokers have apparently caused extensive damage to Russian strategic infrastructure, fuel refineries and military complexes. Those damned smokers. If this was a real issue, then Russia would ban all smoking in public, and maybe even the sale of tobacco. Are we seeing a new manifestation of the careless smoker epidemic? ----------We ran two events in Ukraine in the last two weeks. Lviv (part 2) and Kyiv. The event we ran in August 2023 was a huge success, and had a great impact. Now our aim is even more ambitious. Two cities. Two events. Multiple panels consisting of the best experts, and all filmed in high definition for the channel.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasBut it costs. Last time the overall cost was £3,500 for Live in Lviv, and we covered 80% of this through ticket sales. This time the costs are higher, and there's less opportunity to sell tickets at the available venues and studios, so I'm creating a campaign to raise £5,000 to make this trip a reality. We also have a much more ambitious programme to film interviews around Kyiv and Lviv for the channel. This project will have an impact, so please help if you can. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------An explosion Sunday forced the crew of a Russian oil tanker to evacuate. The incident which occurred at a port in northwest Russia is apparently being investigated, and there is no hint being made by the authorities of sabotage. But would they really admit to this, as it would be hugely embarrassing for Russia's leadership to acknowledge this. Russia's Federal Agency for Sea and Inland Water Transport wrote on Telegram that "an explosion took place in the engine room" of the Koala ship in Ust-Luga port west of St. Petersburg on Sunday morning. Other reports suggest three separate explosions. The ship was allegedly carrying 130,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, but it is not thought that the explosions and partial sinking of the vessel, had resulted in "a spill of the cargo or a leak of oil products." The ship is also not thought to be in imminent danger of fully sinking either, though may well be out of action for a considerable period. ----------SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISERA project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------NEWS SOURCES:https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/02/09/russia-probes-explosion-on-oil-tanker-a87921https://yle.fi/a/74-20142552https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/explosions-hit-fuel-tanker-in-russian-port-1739108219.html----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

Edition No94 | 09-02-2025 - Ukraine has demonstrated there is only one class of sanctions that it can reply upon; exercise some control over and does not have to beg allies to enforce. A class of sanctions that has no loopholes, and no get-out clauses. Which allies will not find some route to circumvent, no and where no third country that can intercede as a middleman for the Kremlin. That sanction is the destruction of Russia's energy infrastructure, including gas processing as supply routes as well as oil refineries and storage facilities. ----------We ran two events in Ukraine in the last two weeks. Lviv (part 2) and Kyiv. The event we ran in August 2023 was a huge success, and had a great impact. Now our aim is even more ambitious. Two cities. Two events. Multiple panels consisting of the best experts, and all filmed in high definition for the channel.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasBut it costs. Last time the overall cost was £3,500 for Live in Lviv, and we covered 80% of this through ticket sales. This time the costs are higher, and there's less opportunity to sell tickets at the available venues and studios, so I'm creating a campaign to raise £5,000 to make this trip a reality. We also have a much more ambitious programme to film interviews around Kyiv and Lviv for the channel. This project will have an impact, so please help if you can. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------Because of its perceived effectiveness, it's becoming clear that Ukraine will intensify strikes on Russian oil refineries and expand geography of attacks in 2025. This view is supported by foreign policy analysts such as Hlib Ostapenko, which claims that data shows that “the systematic campaign of strikes on Russian refineries and oil depots, which began in September 2023, is gaining new momentum.”In a recent article "Ukraine's strikes on Russian refineries: strategy for 2025", he points to the successful strikes on key facilities, including the terminal in Ust-Luga and the Astrakhan gas processing plant. They come amidst strikes that are particularly resonant, in comparison to the pre-election period in the US, where Ukraine refrained from such attacks for a few months, but now have hit the Kstovo refinery and Volgograd "Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka", which was damaged twice in the first days of February. ----------SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISERA project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------NEWS SOURCES:https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3957651-ukrainian-strikes-destroy-46-of-russias-oil-refining-capacity-intercept.htmlhttps://ukranews.com/en/news/1062774-in-2025-ukraine-will-intensify-strikes-on-russian-oil-refineries-and-expand-geography-of-attackshttps://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2025/01/29/ukrainian-drones-flew-500-miles-and-in-a-single-strike-damaged-5-of-russias-oil-refining-capacity/https://kyivindependent.com/4-out-of-4-russian-lukoil-oil-refinery-struck-by-multiple-ukrainian-drones-military-intelligence-source-claims/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraines-drone-attack-sparks-fire-forces-flight-suspensions-several-russian-2025-02-03/----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

Edition No92 | 06-02-2025 - North Koreans may have pulled out of front line. At least this is the claim coming from officials in Ukraine. Ukrainian special forces fighting in the Kursk region, which is where Koreans are thought to be concentrated, told the BBC they have not seen any North Korean troops there for the past three weeks. Ukraine's Special Operations Forces (SOF) spokesperson, Colonel Oleksandr Kindratenko, said it was likely they had pulled out after suffering heavy losses. So just how upset is Jim Jong Un with Putin at this humiliating blow? ---------- We ran two events in Ukraine in the last two weeks. Lviv (part 2) and Kyiv. The event we ran in August 2023 was a huge success, and had a great impact. Now our aim is even more ambitious. Two cities. Two events. Multiple panels consisting of the best experts, and all filmed in high definition for the channel. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras But it costs. Last time the overall cost was £3,500 for Live in Lviv, and we covered 80% of this through ticket sales. This time the costs are higher, and there's less opportunity to sell tickets at the available venues and studios, so I'm creating a campaign to raise £5,000 to make this trip a reality. We also have a much more ambitious programme to film interviews around Kyiv and Lviv for the channel. This project will have an impact, so please help if you can. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- Neither Russia nor North Korea release casualty figures or even admit openly that those troops are fighting on Russian soil, but estimates suggest that out of some 11,000 troops sent to fight, 1,000 had been killed in just three months. Possibly far more are killed and injured. If the speculation is true, it suggests significant North Korean casualties, because of which they have been pulled off the front lines. The concern among Ukrainian experts and Western officials is that the withdrawal may not be permanent. There is a possibility of course, that North Korean soldiers could return after receiving additional training, and in far greater numbers. But the Russians would have to come up with new ways of deploying them to avoid a repeat of such heavy casualties. ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://kyivindependent.com/north-korean-troops-not-seen-for-3-weeks-in-parts-of-kursk-oblast-ukraines-special-forces-say/ https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjder8zgk48o https://www.politico.eu/article/north-korea-troops-removed-from-russia-ukraine-combat-seoul-spy-agency-nis-says/ https://kyivindependent.com/ukraines-strike-on-russian-command-post-kills-key-russian-north-korean-officers/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2025/01/15/north-korea-deployed-12000-troops-to-kursk-in-october-three-months-later-a-third-are-dead-or-wounded/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNkh5I_ZKQ4&t=472s ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation https://prytulafoundation.org NGO “Herojam Slava” https://heroiamslava.org/ kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemysl https://kharpp.com/ NOR DOG Animal Rescue https://www.nor-dog.org/home/ ----------

Edition No91 | 05-02-2025 - About 8 months ago I spotted an uptick in allusions to a certain narrative – the illegitimacy of Ukraine's president. His elected term formally ended in May 2024, but under the country's martial law no election can be held. Let's make this clear, it would be unconstitutional and unlawful for Zelenskyy to call an election. We'll examine the impracticality of this later. ---------- We ran two events in Ukraine in the last two weeks. Lviv (part 2) and Kyiv. The event we ran in August 2023 was a huge success, and had a great impact. Now our aim is even more ambitious. Two cities. Two events. Multiple panels consisting of the best experts, and all filmed in high definition for the channel. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras But it costs. Last time the overall cost was £3,500 for Live in Lviv, and we covered 80% of this through ticket sales. This time the costs are higher, and there's less opportunity to sell tickets at the available venues and studios, so I'm creating a campaign to raise £5,000 to make this trip a reality. We also have a much more ambitious programme to film interviews around Kyiv and Lviv for the channel. This project will have an impact, so please help if you can. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- More than five years have now passed since May 20, 2019, when Zelensky was sworn in to the Verkhovna Rada, and boldly stated: "Each of us is president." He was elected with 73.2% of ballots cast by voters who dreamt of change. Among his many promises of transformation was a key one to negotiate an end to the war in the Donbas. He also committed to end corruption, improve pensions, raise wages, and many other enticing promises. Instead, what he and Ukraine got was war – full-scale, brutal and destructive, imperial, genocidal, relentless. The former comedian turned war leader has changed beyond recognition. Physically of course the impact of war has been obvious. But he has also matured into a great speaker, persuader and one of the most iconic war leaders of history. His words have matured, his face has hardened, his beard has grown. Zelensky now only appears in combat fatigues, an outfit that has remained unchanged since the invasion of February 24, 2022. ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-ukraine-peace-elections/33303303.html https://kyivindependent.com/us-urges-ukraine-to-hold-elections-after-ceasefire-trumps-envoy-tells-reuters/ https://unherd.com/newsroom/america-should-not-pressure-ukraine-into-elections/ https://news.sky.com/story/us-wants-ukraine-to-hold-elections-following-potential-ceasefire-trump-envoy-says-13301316 https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-freak-out-us-russia-push-election/ https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2024/05/23/volodymyr-zelensky-a-president-with-no-term-end_6672475_4.html ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ----------

Edition No90 | 04-02-2025 - Under the guise of bringing efficiency and transparency to governance in the US is a coup under way? An administrative takeover, a crypto coup by the leading luminary of the tech brotherhood, Elon Musk? A nihilistic revolution eviscerating US government institutions. Some are starting to see patterns that indicate a hijack of the Federal Government is in progress and being conducted virtually unchallenged. You perhaps thought that Trump 1, after 2016 was chaotic, then buckle up, because 2025 will be far wilder and stranger. ---------- We ran two events in Ukraine in the last two weeks. Lviv (part 2) and Kyiv. The event we ran in August 2023 was a huge success, and had a great impact. Now our aim is even more ambitious. Two cities. Two events. Multiple panels consisting of the best experts, and all filmed in high definition for the channel. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras But it costs. Last time the overall cost was £3,500 for Live in Lviv, and we covered 80% of this through ticket sales. This time the costs are higher, and there's less opportunity to sell tickets at the available venues and studios, so I'm creating a campaign to raise £5,000 to make this trip a reality. We also have a much more ambitious programme to film interviews around Kyiv and Lviv for the channel. This project will have an impact, so please help if you can. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- The newly created “Department of Government Efficiency” under Elon Musk, is increasingly starting to look like an Orwellian choice of names. For efficiency, read demolition of the basic functions of government, and a paralysis in the process of governance. Barely has the inauguration passed and attempts to decimate the federal civil service are well in hand. But the consequences are being felt on a global scale, as we just saw with the suspension of USAID that will affect many hundreds of millions of people outside of the US. ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://substack.com/home/post/p-156341494 https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/feb/02/elon-musk-doge-access-federal-payment-system https://news.sky.com/story/senior-usaid-pair-suspended-after-refusing-elon-musks-doge-staff-access-to-secure-systems-13302165 https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/02/politics/usaid-officials-leave-musk-doge/index.html https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2025/02/02/this-needs-to-stop-now-elon-musk-confirms-radical-doge-us-treasury-plan/ https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jan/18/tech-bros-trump-inauguration-silicon-valley-nation-state https://news.sky.com/story/senior-usaid-pair-suspended-after-refusing-elon-musks-doge-staff-access-to-secure-systems-13302165 https://www.businessinsider.com/union-groups-sue-accuse-treasury-giving-doge-access-data-2025-2 ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation https://prytulafoundation.org NGO “Herojam Slava” https://heroiamslava.org/ kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemysl https://kharpp.com/ NOR DOG Animal Rescue https://www.nor-dog.org/home/ ----------

Edition No89 | 03-02-2025 - This episode is all about energy – especially gas supply to Europe. Rumours abound that the EU is considering renewing gas purchases from Russia as part of a Ukraine peace deal. Where do we even start with this unbelievably misguided, opportunistic, immoral and strategically brain-dead idea? Dependence on Russian gas is what led Putin to believe he could invade a sovereign European nation in the first place and coerce all the others to just tolerate that. ---------- We ran two events in Ukraine in the last two weeks. Lviv (part 2) and Kyiv. The event we ran in August 2023 was a huge success, and had a great impact. Now our aim is even more ambitious. Two cities. Two events. Multiple panels consisting of the best experts, and all filmed in high definition for the channel. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras But it costs. Last time the overall cost was £3,500 for Live in Lviv, and we covered 80% of this through ticket sales. This time the costs are higher, and there's less opportunity to sell tickets at the available venues and studios, so I'm creating a campaign to raise £5,000 to make this trip a reality. We also have a much more ambitious programme to film interviews around Kyiv and Lviv for the channel. This project will have an impact, so please help if you can. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- Allegedly, EU officials are discussing the potential resumption of gas purchases via a Russian pipeline as part of a potential settlement of the Russia-Ukraine war. This was reported by the Financial Times reported on Jan. 30, citing undisclosed sources. The proposal's advocates, including Hungarian and German officials (of course), argue the move could give both Russia and Europe incentives to maintain a peace deal while stabilizing the continent's energy market, the outlet wrote. And this based on the theory that Russia was so trustworthy the first time round, through the Budapest Memorandum and Minsk Accords, that we should have another go at surrendering our security to the tyrant in the Kremlin? Such logic also assumes that the Russian leadership are economically and politically rational and ignore the clear imperialistic and genocidal motivations behind the war of aggression. ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://kyivindependent.com/eu-denies-any-ties-between-russian-gas-purchases-and-peace-talks-over-war-in-ukraine/ https://kyivindependent.com/eu-mulls-restarting-russian-gas-purchases-as-part-of-ukraine-peace-deal-ft-reports/ https://www.ft.com/content/a19aa690-fb54-41ea-9885-10972b11ab24 https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/hungary-block-eu-russia-sanctions-next-time-unless-ukraine-gas-transit-resumes-2025-01-31/ https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-lets-russian-gas-slip-again-in-new-sanctions-package/ https://www.politico.eu/article/turkey-europe-gas-transit-ukraine-replace-cyprus/ https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/dec/20/donald-trump-tells-eu-buy-more-us-oil-gas-tariffs ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ----------

Edition No87 | 31-01-2025 - There is Chaos and confusion after Trump halts US foreign aid. ‘It will kill people', claim NGOs, charities and recipients of US aid. The new directive mat put some aid organizations at risk of bankruptcy and has caused genuine panic among NGOs fighting Russian aggression in Ukraine and Georgia. There are organization across many areas of activity threatened, with funding ranging from a few percent of total funds and income for staff right up to 90% of costs. ---------- We ran two events in Ukraine in the last two weeks. Lviv (part 2) and Kyiv. The event we ran in August 2023 was a huge success, and had a great impact. Now our aim is even more ambitious. Two cities. Two events. Multiple panels consisting of the best experts, and all filmed in high definition for the channel. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras But it costs. Last time the overall cost was £3,500 for Live in Lviv, and we covered 80% of this through ticket sales. This time the costs are higher, and there's less opportunity to sell tickets at the available venues and studios, so I'm creating a campaign to raise £5,000 to make this trip a reality. We also have a much more ambitious programme to film interviews around Kyiv and Lviv for the channel. This project will have an impact, so please help if you can. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- The sudden announcement of the pause in US foreign aid came out of the blue it seems for most NGOs and organizations. And panic quickly set in. My Ukrainian colleague's phone was buzzing continuously when the news dropped with people in tears and trying to understand the evolving situation. The pause in aid is causing chaos inside groups ranging from health providers to landmine removers — interrupting lifesaving programs as officials struggle to understand the scope, scale and impact of the directive. Many in the aid space said they couldn't remember any such sudden halt to funding in the past. They also didn't understand why programs had to be stopped so that the new administration could log and review them. What we are seeing here are not conservative values at play, but a kind of revolutionary nihilism towards good governance. ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://www.ft.com/content/e122fb95-ae23-4c82-80c8-c8904724131e https://www.newsmax.com/us/trump-funding-healthcare/2025/01/29/id/1196988/ https://kyivindependent.com/trump-suspends-aid-to-ukraine-vital-ngos-dont-know-if-theyll-survive/ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/28/ukraine-war-briefing-shock-as-trump-aid-freeze-hits-ukrainian-causes https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/27/chaos-confusion-trump-u-s-foreign-aid-00200771 https://www.euronews.com/2025/01/29/us-freeze-on-foreign-aid-funding-is-a-death-sentence-for-people-in-need-ngos-warn https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trumps-freeze-us-aid-rings-alarm-bells-thailand-ukraine-2025-01-28/ ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation https://prytulafoundation.org NGO “Herojam Slava” https://heroiamslava.org/ kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemysl https://kharpp.com/ NOR DOG Animal Rescue https://www.nor-dog.org/home/ ----------

Timestamps: 0:00 y'know what they say about stick-shakers 0:09 RTX 5090 reviews 1:34 Intel forgets that PCs are modular 2:40 OpenAI Operator, Deepseek R1 4:24 QUICK BITS INTRO 4:31 Epic Games mobile app update 5:14 Ayaneo 3 5:38 Xbox Developer Direct 6:15 YouTube hour-long unskippable ads? News Sources: https://lmg.gg/UVrdM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Edition No84 | 21-01-2025 - Today's episode is recorded with the notorious NAZI death camp of Auschwitz in the background. It seems relevant to be here, where levels of anxiety build around the world, following the inauguration of Trump, and the impromptu fascistic style salute given by Elon Musk yesterday. Combined with growing support for the aFD in Germany and a boisterous Tommy Robinson in the UK. Along with a resurgence of extreme populist politicians around the world and increasing adoption of intolerant and belligerent language. We are leaving an era of historically atypical stability (though it rarely felt like that) and moving into an era of potential chaos and turmoil, which is unfortunately far more typical of human history. ---------- At relatively short notice, we're organising two events in Ukraine in the last week of January. Lviv (part 2) and Kyiv. The event we ran in August 2023 was a huge success, and had a great impact. Now our aim is even more ambitious. Two cities. Two events. Multiple panels consisting of the best experts, and all filmed in high definition for the channel. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras But it costs. Last time the overall cost was £3,500 for Live in Lviv, and we covered 80% of this through ticket sales. This time the costs are higher, and there's less opportunity to sell tickets at the available venues and studios, so I'm creating a campaign to raise £5,000 to make this trip a reality. We also have a much more ambitious programme to film interviews around Kyiv and Lviv for the channel. This project will have an impact, so please help if you can. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- Everyone will have their own reasons to feel anxiety. For me, it's because I have relatives who ended up in a place like this, also extermination camps located in Poland. And since 2012, I've been tracking the rising authoritarian tendencies in Russia, with a feeling of dread about where this would end up. History does not repeat exactly, and it can be dangerous to assume patterns that happened then are exactly thew same as patterns now, but the number of historical parallels between the 1930s and today are too numerous to ignore. This is a warning from history. There will always be bad people, intent on malice and mischief, self-enrichment to the detriment of the majority. But it's when good people turn a blind eye, and fail to organise to counter the bad, that evil people and their evil acts triumph. ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://www.ft.com/content/ac39b604-ef6d-41cb-bb8c-0eb76e002176 https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/12/03/well-tell-kellogg-to-screw-himself-putins-crony-on-peace-talks/ https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-over-50-000-russians-seek-mia-through-ukraines-project/ https://www.csis.org/analysis/putin-thinks-he-can-win-why-would-he-negotiate https://kyivindependent.com/trump-says-putin-wants-to-meet-arrangements-already-underway/ https://kyivindependent.com/garry-kasparov-on-modern-russian-empire/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhwukP-TvLM&t=3s ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ ----------

Edition No82 | 17-01-2025 - Russia is a terrorist state. We've been saying this for three years on the channel. But Russia constantly reminds of this fact. The latest is an allegation that Russia plotted terror attacks on airlines around the world. According to Polish PM, Donald Tusk this bombshell news has come from US intelligence sources. "I can only confirm that Russia planned acts of air terror, not just against Poland but against airlines across the globe," said Tusk during a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. ---------- At relatively short notice, we're organising two events in Ukraine in the last week of January. Lviv (part 2) and Kyiv. The event we ran in August 2023 was a huge success, and had a great impact. Now our aim is even more ambitious. Two cities. Two events. Multiple panels consisting of the best experts, and all filmed in high definition for the channel. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras But it costs. Last time the overall cost was £3,500 for Live in Lviv, and we covered 80% of this through ticket sales. This time the costs are higher, and there's less opportunity to sell tickets at the available venues and studios, so I'm creating a campaign to raise £5,000 to make this trip a reality. We also have a much more ambitious programme to film interviews around Kyiv and Lviv for the channel. This project will have an impact, so please help if you can. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- U.S. intelligence warned the White House that Russia was planning to smuggle incendiary devices onto cargo planes heading to the US. This sounds very similar to the devices apparently planted on DHL delivery places, that are alleged to have caused two warehouse fires. According to The New York Times report The White House, warned the Kremlin to stop the operation. Tusk did not provide details to underpin the allegation, but it was felt serious enough to put his reputation on the line by stating it emphatically, in public, and in the full glare of the world's press, given that he was with Zelenskyy at the time. "All I can say, and I will not go into details, but I can confirm the validity of these fears," said Tusk. ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-planned-terror-attacks-airlines-around-world-donald-tusk-says/ https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/russia-planned-acts-of-terror-in-the-air-polands-tusk-says/ https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4717j21kko https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/azerbaijan-airlines-flight-was-downed-by-russian-air-defence-system-four-sources-2024-12-26/ https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/paris-olympics-train-vandalism-cause-b2586422.html https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13675809/French-train-arson-Putins-new-terror-tactic.html ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation https://prytulafoundation.org NGO “Herojam Slava” https://heroiamslava.org/ kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemysl https://kharpp.com/ NOR DOG Animal Rescue https://www.nor-dog.org/home/ ----------

Edition No81 | 15-01-2025 - Ukraine has steadily been increasing its strikes against targets deep within Russia since the conclusion of the US election. But before we get into the details of the latest strikes over the weekend, let's review how this started last week with the huge, 'multi-day' targeting of Russia's Engels airbase infrastructure. ---------- At relatively short notice, we're organising two events in Ukraine in the last week of January. Lviv (part 2) and Kyiv. The event we ran in August 2023 was a huge success, and had a great impact. Now our aim is even more ambitious. Two cities. Two events. Multiple panels consisting of the best experts, and all filmed in high definition for the channel. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras But it costs. Last time the overall cost was £3,500 for Live in Lviv, and we covered 80% of this through ticket sales. This time the costs are higher, and there's less opportunity to sell tickets at the available venues and studios, so I'm creating a campaign to raise £5,000 to make this trip a reality. We also have a much more ambitious programme to film interviews around Kyiv and Lviv for the channel. This project will have an impact, so please help if you can. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- Ukraine has targeted Russia's Engels airbase and associated infrastructure in 'multi-day, comprehensive operation'. This was reported by Kyiv's 14th Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Regiment reported on Jan. 14. This unit is part of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces; they claimed the attacks were intended to "reduce the enemy's strategic aviation capabilities". It's also been reported, and footage on social media seems to attest to this, that they struck aviation fuel tanks at the Kristal oil plant used to supply Russian long-range bomber aircraft. "We are doing our best to ensure that Engels fire crews, who have just put out the flames after the previous attack, are not left without work in the face of the increasingly difficult economic situation in Russia." The Ukrainian unit is quoted as saying. The attack had also seemed to have targeted ammunition warehouses at the airbase which store cruise missiles and glide bombs. Several explosions were heard in the area, according to local reports from Russian Telegram channels. ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-targets-russias-engels-airbase-in-multi-day-comprehensive-operation-drone-forces-report/ https://kyivindependent.com/drones-reportedly-attack-russian-chemical-plant-in-tatarstan/ https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-strikes-chemical-plants-refineries-warehouses-in-russia/ https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-targets-russian-industrial-plants-ammunition-depots-in-overnight-strike/ https://kyivindependent.com/drone-attack-damages-industrial-facility-in-russias-saratov-region/ ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation https://prytulafoundation.org NGO “Herojam Slava” https://heroiamslava.org/ NOR DOG Animal Rescue https://www.nor-dog.org/home/ ----------

Edition No80 | 13-01-2025 - We cannot say when the Russian economy will ‘collapse', or even if it's cave in single a dramatic moment. But what's not under doubt is that pressure on Putin's economy is building – it was even terms a ‘house of cards' in a recent article in the Financial Times. All this pressure makes Putin's war economy less sustainable, his regime more brittle, and the outcome of events far less certain or indeed predictable. And if you're a tyrant, then things you cannot control, unpredictability in fact, is the last thing you want to see in your realm. ---------- At relatively short notice, we're organising two events in Ukraine in the last week of January. Lviv (part 2) and Kyiv. The event we ran in August 2023 was a huge success, and had a great impact. Now our aim is even more ambitious. Two cities. Two events. Multiple panels consisting of the best experts, and all filmed in high definition for the channel. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras But it costs. Last time the overall cost was £3,500 for Live in Lviv, and we covered 80% of this through ticket sales. This time the costs are higher, and there's less opportunity to sell tickets at the available venues and studios, so I'm creating a campaign to raise £5,000 to make this trip a reality. We also have a much more ambitious programme to film interviews around Kyiv and Lviv for the channel. This project will have an impact, so please help if you can. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/01/09/russias-economic-gamble-the-hidden-costs-of-war-driven-growth-a87548 https://navigatingrussia.substack.com/ https://www.ft.com/content/61adaed4-ac9a-4891-afb6-b3ad648c58ad https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-ukraine-war-recession-outlook-inflation-sanctions-banks-rates-2025-1 https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/01/09/russias-economic-gamble-the-hidden-costs-of-war-driven-growth-a87548 ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation https://prytulafoundation.org NGO “Herojam Slava” https://heroiamslava.org/ kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemysl https://kharpp.com/ NOR DOG Animal Rescue https://www.nor-dog.org/home/ ----------

Edition No79 | 11-01-2025 - This channel has been warning for over a year of the threats to marine ecologies from Russia's rust-bucket fleet of clapped-out illegal tankers, transporting its blood oil to unscrupulous buyers around the world to fuel Putin's genocidal war. And now another one of them is threatening disaster, as a shadow fleet vessel carrying 100,000 tonnes of oil breaks down and is adrift in heavy seas off Germany's northern coast. The Eventin was sailing from Russia to Egypt with 100,000 tonnes of oil when its engine failed and it lost ability to manoeuvre. Three tugs are now attempting to steer it away from the coast and towards a safer area. Though if the vessel breaks up, there is no safe area for 100,000 tonnes of oil to dissipate. As the vessel drifted in coastal waters Friday, the foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, criticised Russia's use of “dilapidated oil tankers” to avoid sanctions on its oil exports, calling it a threat to European security. Russia has used murky ships for oil exports to circumvent sanctions imposed by Western nations for waging its brutal war against Ukraine. ---------- At relatively short notice, we're organising two events in Ukraine in the last week of January. Lviv (part 2) and Kyiv. The event we ran in August 2023 was a huge success, and had a great impact. Now our aim is even more ambitious. Two cities. Two events. Multiple panels consisting of the best experts, and all filmed in high definition for the channel. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras But it costs. Last time the overall cost was £3,500 for Live in Lviv, and we covered 80% of this through ticket sales. This time the costs are higher, and there's less opportunity to sell tickets at the available venues and studios, so I'm creating a campaign to raise £5,000 to make this trip a reality. We also have a much more ambitious programme to film interviews around Kyiv and Lviv for the channel. This project will have an impact, so please help if you can. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's frontline towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/11/germany-battles-to-secure-russian-shadow-fleet-oil-tanker-adrift-off-northern-coast https://kyivindependent.com/germany-towing-shadow-fleet-tanker/ https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/01/11/germany-races-to-secure-stricken-russian-shadow-fleet-oil-tanker-2-a87574 https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/01/11/germany-races-to-secure-stricken-russian-shadow-fleet-oil-tanker-2-a87574 https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/01/10/nato-to-send-2-ships-to-guard-baltic-sea-infrastructure-finland-says-a87563 ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation https://prytulafoundation.org NGO “Herojam Slava” https://heroiamslava.org/ kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemysl https://kharpp.com/ NOR DOG Animal Rescue https://www.nor-dog.org/home/ ----------

Edition No78 | 09-01-2025 - Musk and Trump are shaking things up, and the inauguration of Trump 2.0 has not even begun. The four years following Trump's election in 2016 felt like drinking from a fire hydrant of toxic nonsense. Somehow, though, the madness was largely contained to US domestic issues and pollution of the informational sphere – Trump did not instigate any major wars. It's quite possible Putin delayed launching a full-scale war in Ukraine because Trump was in office and then COVID kicked in. But now, it seems the gloves of insanity are well and truly off. ---------- At relatively short notice, we're organising two events in Ukraine in the last week of January. Lviv (part 2) and Kyiv. The event we ran in August 2023 was a huge success, and had a great impact. Now our aim is even more ambitious. Two cities. Two events. Multiple panels consisting of the best experts, and all filmed in high definition for the channel. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras But it costs. Last time the overall cost was £3,500 for Live in Lviv, and we covered 80% of this through ticket sales. This time the costs are higher, and there's less opportunity to sell tickets at the available venues and studios, so I'm creating a campaign to raise £5,000 to make this trip a reality. We also have a much more ambitious programme to film interviews around Kyiv and Lviv for the channel. This project will have an impact, so please help if you can. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's frontline towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- Reach for the impossible and get something for nothing - Moscow rules. Negotiation rather than hot war. Fear bargaining. People under pressure tend to make mistakes and default to appeasement of a bully - Again, a negotiating tactic designed to get more than you would otherwise. - Also force people to pick sides, alliances, impose exclusivity. Smoke and mirrors. Sleight of hand. - Musk – the same role played by Steele report and Guiliani in Trump 1.0. - Is Musk just saying mad things or being briefed and encourages by Trump circle. - Is he just tolerated, or are they extending his leash, goading him to do this? - Because it suits their purposes. Again, it's the ‘insanity' strategy that has worked so well for Putin, forcing western powers to self-deter. And even to snooze. He's mad and is going to do it. - Accelerate the world to Vladimir Putin conception of geopolitics. - A dog-eat-dog world, or competition between sovereign imperial blocks. - All other countries are resources, assets, pawns, but do not have agency. Buckle up. Trump has had time to prepare for his 2.0 administration, and its going to be a bumpy ride. This is WWIII if we are lucky, which may have a finite beginning and end. If we're unlucky this is the new global disorder, and it will become a permanent feature of life. ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-horsfall-52243220/ ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ----------

Edition No77 | 08-01-2025 - When preparing this second part episode, I was going to go through the interview chronologically and respond to each part. But many YouTubers have already done this, and many of you will have seen the interview in its entirety already. So, this likely won't be of great value. ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's frontline towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- Zelenskyy's answers are for the most part superb and push back strongly against Russian disinformation narratives far better than I can. This is perhaps one of Zelenskyy's most forceful and accessible interviews. In some ways it's the naivety, and what could be described as ignorance of context on the part of Fridman, that triggers Zelenskyy into providing some of the most compelling answers ever given to Russian narratives and talking points, many of which have been adopted by the MAGA bubble as well as some in conservative political circles. Also, it must be said by the far Left, and those who have traditionally seen the Soviet Union as a template for an alternative society to capitalism and as an antidote to American imperialism. Both are deeply misguided, as Russia is a classic imperialist entity, perhaps one of the most brutal imperial powers in history, and not a template for any kind of civilisation that a reasonable person should aspire to live in or help build. ~/ /~/ /~/ /~/ /~ So, in this episode, I'm going to examine the Russian myths and propagandistic narratives that are the source for what seems to be much of Lex Fridman's research. He claims at the end of the interview to have consumed many books on the history of Ukraine and Russia, it's imperial domination of the region and the more recent history that led up to the full-scale war. But unfortunately, his choice of themes and the construction of his questions, suggest to me that his sources of information are weighted towards podcasts, memes and conversations within a bubble, rather than solid journalism and the writings of professional historians. There is a strong bias in Lex's framing of topics and questions towards Russian inspired historical mythology and intentionally manufactured national myths, which seem to be a more potent source of inspiration for Lex in his choices, priorities and phraseology, than reliable sources. Here is a breakdown of nearly all Lex's questions that spanned the three-hour interview, and how each correlate to a greater or lesser extent to common Russian narratives. Some of the topics of course are perfectly valid to bring up, and Russian propaganda rarely manufacturers issues from scratch. It leverages existing problems, pours petrol on the flames of real conflicts, and seeks to widen and weaponize existing divisions. But propaganda utilises these issues, and Lex has scored an almost complete bingo card of them. Again, I suspect that his intention is not to be propagandistic, but the framing of his questions, the language he uses, betrays a lack of depth and seriousness to his research, as well as a remarkable level of naivety about real-world politics. ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u321m25rKXc ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation https://prytulafoundation.org NGO “Herojam Slava” https://heroiamslava.org/ kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemysl https://kharpp.com/ NOR DOG Animal Rescue https://www.nor-dog.org/home/ ----------

Timestamps: 0:00 ha ha CES 2025 0:16 Nvidia unveils RTX 50 series 2:22 AMD - RX 9070, Ryzen 9 9950X3D 5:07 Intel Core Ultra 200 (again) 6:48 QUICK BITS 6:56 Dell Pro Max rebrand 7:38 Snapdragon X, the CPU 8:19 HDMI 2.2 9:00 Bing tricks Google searchers 9:35 Switch 2 joy-con is a mouse? News Sources: https://lmg.gg/muCJY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Edition No76 | 07-01-2025 - An anchor belonging to the oil tanker Eagle S, suspected of being used to damage undersea cables in the Gulf of Finland, has been located and retrieved from the seabed. This follows the seizure by police in Finland of the Russian-linked dark fleet tanker Eagle S. This is the first time a ship suspected of sabotaging undersea infrastructure has been taken into custody by authorities, according to Estonia Prime Minister Kristen Michal. Estonia Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said the damage to undersea infrastructure was not a coincidence. “They have become systematic, and we must consider them an attack on our infrastructure,” he said. The Finnish customs service believes the Eagle S is part of a shadow fleet of ageing tankers being used to evade sanctions on the sale of Russian oil. ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's frontline towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- Trucks under Christmas Tree https://donorbox.org/trucks-under-christmas-tree/fundraiser/silicon-curtain The Goal of the Campaign for Silicon Curtain: € 10,000 to purchase 1 truck to save Ukrainian lives. ---------- Here are some interesting points about the seizure of the vessel, made by expert Robin Häggblom on Twitter last week. 1) Finnish Defence Forces involvement seems to have been limited. It was the Finnish Border Guard's flagship that shadowed the tanker and caught it in the act, According to Robin this was largely handled by the ministry of the Interior and Law Enforcement, rather than obvious military forces units. 2) The Police told a reporter they don't plan on contacting the Russian authorities. This was a strong and correct gesture of contempt for Russia and its actions. But Robin notes that it may also mark an end to the process of soft appeasement of Russia known as Finlandization, where the USSR and Russia was given special consideration compared to other states. 3) If the Russians have been foolish enough to use shadow fleet vessels as SIGINT platforms, for monitoring and intelligence operations, then we may expect must closer tracking of their grey fleet by NATO powers, and potentially more interventions. The shadow fleet-concept, notes Robin, rests on the right of innocent passage, while intelligence gathering specifically is mentioned as *not* being part of that under UNCLOS Article 19, 2. If there is reason to suspect innocent passage isn't adhered to, it can up new legal actions, which the Western allies have been loath to adopt until now. 4) The operation is typical for how Finland handles hybrid operations. Everything is done according to the book and within a clear legal framework. But the signalling around this operation appears to be unusually strong, which may be intended as a clear message to Russia. More of a show of force than was necessary may indicate that Finland and other countries' patience with Russia's illegal, aggressive and risky actions does have limits. More on this story in forthcoming episodes with experts Elizabeth Braw and Jerry Hendrix. ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://yle.fi/a/74-20135216 https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/finland-court-rejects-owners-request-release-oil-tanker-2025-01-03/ https://www.lloydslist.com/LL1151950/Finland-police-seize-Russian-linked-dark-fleet-tanker-Eagle-S-in-cable-cutting-investigation ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ----------

Edition No75 | 06-01-2025 - Lex Fridman is in the enviable position to interview some of the world's leading writers, thinkers, scientists and politicians. Some have accused him of peddling ‘low quality' and superficial content, but that cannot be true of all his video, given the calibre of some of his guests. And this interview with Zelenskyy that has just come out is one of his best. And it's not because of the quality of Fridman's questions. His precision, erudition and wit. Sometimes it's the reverse, when the simplistic or naïve assumptions behind his questions irked or irritated Zelenskyy, it elicited some of the President's clearest and best responses. ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's frontline towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- Trucks under Christmas Tree https://donorbox.org/trucks-under-christmas-tree/fundraiser/silicon-curtain The Goal of the Campaign for Silicon Curtain: € 10,000 to purchase 1 truck to save Ukrainian lives. ---------- This is important, because the interview was not for Ukrainians, for activists or the pro-Ukraine bubble. It was meant for people that may have no regard for Zelenskyy or Ukraine, may be indifferent to its plight, or who may even have been influenced by Russian talking points, and have an active antipathy towards Ukraine's leadership. If the interview reached these people, and broke down some myths and preconceptions then it will have been worth it. If the interview succeeds in humanising Zelensky and Ukraine for people, then it can be considered a success. If the interview undermines the propagandistic narrative that Putin really wants peace, but is being obstructed by Ukraine, then it will have strategic importance ahead of Trump's inauguration, and the negotiation process that he clearly wants to initiate. If Trump's supporters move away from the idea of peace through capitulation, to peace through strength, then this interview will have served a very important purpose. ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u321m25rKXc ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation https://prytulafoundation.org NGO “Herojam Slava” https://heroiamslava.org/ kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemysl https://kharpp.com/ NOR DOG Animal Rescue https://www.nor-dog.org/home/ ----------

Edition No74 | 05-01-2025 - Ukraine has launched a new offensive in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Early reports on its success are incomplete and mixed. Much of the detail is coming from the Russian Z-blogger community and therefore needs to be view as potentially unreliable. This has not stopped the first media headlines reporting on Ukraine's surprise counterattack in Kursk today from leading with the reactions of the Russian voices and incorporating their phraseology into article headlines. ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's frontline towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- Trucks under Christmas Tree https://donorbox.org/trucks-under-christmas-tree/fundraiser/silicon-curtain The Goal of the Campaign for Silicon Curtain: € 10,000 to purchase 1 truck to save Ukrainian lives. ---------- ‘Last ditch attempt' to catch Russia off guard, and ‘last chance' to take back land, scream the headlines, directly reflecting quotes from Z-bloggers. But both statements involve massive assumptions, and indeed reflect Russian interests, rather than reality. There's no way to tell how many new offensives or counter-offensives Ukraine has the resources for, or will have in 3 months' time, 6 months' time, etc. Throughout the war, it's served the interests of Russia to reinforce the myth that it cannot be beaten, that a Russian victory is inevitable, that ever setback for Ukraine is de facto a catastrophe, and every catastrophe for Russia is of no consequence. And many in the media have duly complied, in their use of both explicit and implicit language, to add to this strategic mythology of Russian invincibility, their capacity to apparently tolerate any hardship, and their infinite resources. None of this is of course true. Phrases such as ‘bold' and ‘surprising' could equally be applied to the situation, but it seems there is a reflexive bias in the minds of some journalists and policymakers, to automatically position Ukraine as a victim, incapable of achieving victories, and underplay their successes. ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/05/ukraine-launches-surprise-operation-in-kursk-region-according-to-reports https://www.vietnam.vn/en/tong-thong-ukraine-thong-bao-ton-that-nang-ne-cua-quan-doi-nga-va-trieu-tien-o-kursk/ https://www.politico.eu/article/hundreds-north-korea-troops-dead-kursk-ukraine-war/ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14250611/Putins-forces-slaughtered-attack-Kursk-village.html https://www.newsweek.com/russia-ukraine-kursk-losses-2008486 https://euromaidanpress.com/2025/01/05/ukrainian-forces-launch-attacks-in-multiple-directions-in-russias-kursk-oblast-officials-say/ https://kyivindependent.com/russia-claims-2/ ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation https://prytulafoundation.org NGO “Herojam Slava” https://heroiamslava.org/ kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemysl https://kharpp.com/ NOR DOG Animal Rescue https://www.nor-dog.org/home/ ----------

Edition No73 | 04-01-2025 - Is the stopping of gas transit via Ukraine 'One of Moscow's biggest defeats'? That is what Zelensky is claiming, as Ukraine terminated Russian natural gas transit on 1st Jan. 2025. Kyiv has repeatedly warned it would not extend the agreement to allow Russian natural gas to transit through its territory to Europe, and indeed the expiry of that agreement was a natural point for Ukraine to make good on its threats. It's remarkable in fact that this gas transit has continues for 3 years of the full-scale war, given how important gas has been in the financing of Russia's war. ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's frontline towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- Trucks under Christmas Tree https://donorbox.org/trucks-under-christmas-tree/fundraiser/silicon-curtain The Goal of the Campaign for Silicon Curtain: € 10,000 to purchase 1 truck to save Ukrainian lives. ---------- "When Putin was handed power in Russia over 25 years ago, the annual gas pumping through Ukraine to Europe stood at over 130 billion cubic meters. Today, the transit of Russian gas is 0. This is one of Moscow's biggest defeats," Zelensky said. "Turning energy into a weapon and cynical energy blackmail of partners is what deprived Russia of its most attractive and geographically accessible market." Zelensky has suggested that three years is a long enough period for European countries to adapt to the termination of Russian gas supplies. For some countries it's been easier than others, and some have been more proactive in weaning themselves off Russia gas. Zelensky also suggested that having a greater diversity of suppliers and partners could increase competition in the market and help to drive down prices. "The more gas from Europe's true partners is available on the market, the sooner the last negative consequences of European energy dependence on Russia will be overcome," Zelensky said. With a degree of sarcasm, he added “it will be necessary to withstand the hysteria of some European politicians who prefer mafia schemes with Moscow to transparent energy policy." Two examples of leaders that prefer to maintain so-called ‘mafia relations' with Russia, are Viktor Orban, the Hungarian Prime Minister, and Slovak counterpart Robert Fico. As the most vocal opponents of Ukraine's decision to stop Russian gas transit, they have also shown a willingness to also pay homage at the court of the killer Tsar in the Kremlin, despite Russia's invasion of Ukraine and are the main promoters of pro-Russian narratives in Europe. ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/01/breakaway-moldovan-region-cuts-heating-and-hot-water-as-russia-stops-gas-flow https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russian-gas-pipeline-ukraine-gazprom-b2673631.html https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/02/moldovan-region-transnistria-shuts-down-its-industries-after-loss-of-russian-gas https://kyivindependent.com/slovak-state-energy-company-to-continue-to-supply-electricity-to-ukraine-despite-ficos-threats/ https://kyivindependent.com/one-of-moscows-biggest-defeats-zelensky-on-stopping-russian-gas-transit-via-ukraine/ https://kyivindependent.com/transnistria-rejects-offer-to-buy-gas-from-europe-expects-russia-to-resume-supplies/ ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ----------

Edition No72 | 02-01-2025 - Vladimir Putin summed up the results of the year and answered questions from journalists and the people of Russia in a live broadcast. December 19, 2024 "We have already received over 2.2 million questions, including 1.2 million via telephone, about 43,000 via SMS messages, and over 140,000 via the website. We can see that the number of questions is increasing in real time." ---------- Trucks under Christmas Tree https://donorbox.org/trucks-under-christmas-tree/fundraiser/silicon-curtain The Goal of the Campaign for Silicon Curtain: € 10,000 to purchase 1 truck to save Ukrainian lives. ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's frontline towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- Anna Suvorova: Before we start taking questions from our people and our colleagues, journalists, I would like to ask the first general question. In recent time, everyone has been feeling a disturbing sense that the world is going crazy, or already has, because the potential for conflict is off the charts in every part of the world, and the global economy is struggling. How does Russia manage not only to stay afloat, but also to continue growing in this situation? Vladimir Putin: You know, when all is calm and life is measured and stable, we get bored. This amounts to stagnation, so we crave action. When action begins, time starts whistling by – or bullets do, for that matter. Unfortunately, bullets are what is zipping past our heads these days. We are scared, yes – but not as “all get out” kind of scared. Our economics are the ultimate measure of things. As is traditional, I will start with the economy. Although your question was a bit provocative, I will turn to the economy anyway. The economy is number one; it is the cornerstone. It has an impact on living standards, general stability, and the country's defence capability. The economy is everything. The economic situation in Russia is generally positive and stable. We are growing in spite of everything, in spite of any external threats or attempts at outside influence. What this means is that our economy will have grown by eight percent over the past two years. After all, the tenths and hundredths of a percent make for a negligeable difference. This is what experts have been telling me – we exchanged views this very morning. About eight percent over the past two years, compared to a growth rate between five and six percent for the United States, one percent for the Eurozone, and zero for Germany, the EU's leading economy. It seems that next year that country will also have zero growth. ---------- NEWS SOURCES: http://www.en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/75909 ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation https://prytulafoundation.org NGO “Herojam Slava” https://heroiamslava.org/ kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemysl https://kharpp.com/ NOR DOG Animal Rescue https://www.nor-dog.org/home/ ----------

Edition No71 | 01-01-2025 - As the slide toward dictatorship in Georgia accelerates, this episode will review the mechanics of law that mark an increasingly repressive and desperate regime. As we've examined in previous episodes, the Georgia Dream party has now ripped off the mask and shed any last vestige of ambiguity they are a Kremlin proxy party that is intent on deconstructing Georgia's fragile democracy and subverting institutions that have been evolving since independence to bring rule of law and civic liberties to society. ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's frontline towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- Here is a summary of the laws brough in, posted on X by the excellent Anna Gvarishvili, who has been a recent guest on this channel. The following restrictions have bene rushed into law, and will take effect on Dec. 30: 1. Drivers joining protests with processions: If police determine such actions obstruct traffic, drivers will be fined 1,000 Lari and have driving license suspended for a year. 2. Unauthorized protest stencils/signs/posters: Fines for damaging the city's appearance have been increased from 50 Lari to up to 1,000 Lari. 3. Blocking roads during protests: can lead to a fine on each person of 5,000 Lari (a 10-fold increase in the fine for this offence). Those deemed to be organizers, can face fines of 15,000 Lari. This rule also applies to violations under Georgia's “Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations,” including blocking building entrances. Instead of a fine, administrative detention of up to 15 days can also be imposed. 4. Presence of pyrotechnics at protests: Regardless of whether they are used, individuals will be fined 5,000 Lari. If this is deemed an organized act, the organizer may face a fine of 15,000 Lari. Administrative detention of up to 15 days may also be applied instead of a fine. 5. Possession of laser or bright light-emitting devices: 2,000 Lari fine. 6. Covering one's face with masks or other means: This will result in a 2,000 Lari fine. 7. Minors at protests: If a minor is deemed to have violated Article 173 (disobedience to lawful police demands), their parents will be fined for improper upbringing, with fines ranging from 100 to 300 Lari. This is the one that triggered the title of this episode, and it has sinister connotations of the pre-crime detection unit in the Sci-Fi book, Minority Report. 8. Preventive detention: Police can now detain individuals preventively, assuming they may commit an offense based on prior violations. 9. Detention for court appearance: Police can detain individuals solely to ensure their appearance in court, even if they do not refuse to attend voluntarily. This provision allows police to detain someone even if no case has yet been filed in court. 10. Expanded grounds for personal and property searches: Personal searches, inspections of items, and confiscation of belongings and documents are now permitted under these same grounds. ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://oc-media.org/from-fireworks-to-the-public-sector-georgian-dream-introduces-new-legislation-amid-protests/ https://oc-media.org/us-sanctions-bidzina-ivanishvili/ https://eurasianet.org/georgia-government-set-to-pass-laws-bolstering-police-state https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-sanctions-georgian-officials-responsible-for-brutal-crackdown-on-media-and-protestors https://civil.ge/archives/645520 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crk01xyd22eo https://oc-media.org/when-we-get-in-the-minibus-the-fun-will-start-how-georgian-police-torture-detained-protesters/ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/27/lets-see-who-will-be-leaving-georgias-presidential-standoff-nears-crunch-point ----------

Edition No70 | 27-12-2024 - It's a tragedy that politicians can't seem to act on warnings alone, and the public can't be moved to outrage, passion or action by an impending disaster or crime. Last week we had a case in point where it's the images of thick, viscous oil washing up on the Black Sea coast. ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's frontline towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- Stricken oil tankers show the risks of Russia's ageing 'shadow fleet', which it uses to bypass sanctions. Although the vessel that split apart was covered by Russian insurer VSK, it's doubtful whether the costs of the cleanup operations will be covered. The full scale of the various incidents, as well as their long-term impact on the environment are so far unknown. One crew member was killed after the Volgoneft 212 split in half, with 12 rescued, while authorities said all 14 crew aboard the Volgoneft 239, which ran aground 80 metres from the shore near the port of Taman, were also rescued. Russian authorities sought to limit the damage from oil spilled into the Kerch Strait by two ageing tankers that were damaged during a heavy weekend storm – though part of the campaign was informational, seeking to deny the seriousness, and not only focused on the physical clean-up. The ships are on average more than 50-year-old, and were carrying some 9,200 metric tons (62,000 barrels) of oil products in total. Volgoneft 212 was constructed in 1969 and Volgoneft 239 in 1973. The spill is likely to become one of the largest environmental disasters to affect the region in recent years. The Kerch Strait, which separates mainland Russia from the Moscow-annexed Crimea region, is a key route for exports of its grain and fuel products. ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/3939182-estonian-pm-names-two-options-facing-russian-shadow-fleet-vessels-caught-without-insurance.html https://www.ft.com/content/8a485a6b-477e-4087-83f4-eca357082d71 https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-tankers-damaged-kerch-strait-were-carrying-62000-barrels-oil-products-2024-12-16/ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/16/ukraine-calls-for-sanctions-against-russia-oil-tankers-over-black-sea-spill https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/12/16/russian-tankers-caught-in-storm-may-have-leaked-3k-tons-of-oil-products-state-media-a87359 https://kyivindependent.com/sinking-of-two-russian-oil-tankers-may-cause-significant-environmental-impacts-greenpeace-warns/ https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-shadow-dark-oil-tankers-sanctions-navy-warships-escort-2024-12 ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation https://prytulafoundation.org NGO “Herojam Slava” https://heroiamslava.org/ kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemysl https://kharpp.com/ NOR DOG Animal Rescue https://www.nor-dog.org/home/ ----------

Edition No69 | 26-12-2024 - What is Christmas like, when your neighbour is a terrorist state, run without challenge or hindrance by a delusional imperialist and pervert, hooked on aggression and suffering? Russia launched a massive Christmas day attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, and civilian residential targets in numerous cities, leaving more than half a million people without heating, water and electricity. Temperatures across Ukraine are around freezing point. ---------- SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's frontline towns. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras ---------- Zelenskyy, President of Ukrainian spoke with direct moral clarity when he condemned the attack as ‘inhuman'. This was the 13th large-scale assault in 2024, on the energy grid of Ukraine, in what Zelenskyy said was a deliberate series of strikes. “This was not a coincidence. What could be more inhuman?” He wrote on X. But it's also entirely predictable. Putin always lashes out after press conferences, or visits to his court by foreign dignitaries, and of course, special dates such as Christmas hold a special fascination for his perverse mind. Attacks at Christmas and New Year as well as on significant anniversaries are entirely predictable, as is Russia's raging desire to instil fear in its enemies, and those it seeks to control and plunder. About 50 of the 70 missiles fired were intercepted, as well as a ‘significant' number of more than 100 attack drones launched by Russia, on this, the celebration of Christ's birth. Oleh Syniehubov, governor of Ukraine's eastern Kharkiv region, explained that the attack had left more than 500,000 people without heating, water and electricity at Christmas. Russia is not just a terrorist state, but also, it's claims to be Christian one is barely plausible, given its actions of the last three years, and the genocidal character of its regime, which is enthusiastically supported and sanctified by the Moscow Patriarch, and former KGB agent. President Joe Biden said in a statement “The Ukrainian people deserve to live in peace and safety, and the United States and the international community must continue to stand with Ukraine until it triumphs over Russia's aggression.” Biden also reaffirmed his instruction to the Department of Defence “to continue its surge of weapons deliveries to Ukraine”. ---------- NEWS SOURCES: https://www.ft.com/content/b7b2c8d9-8eed-4620-adfe-a99e696a1dd4 https://kyivindependent.com/russia-terrorizes-ukraine-with-mass-missile-drone-attack-on-christmas-morning/ https://kyivindependent.com/the-west-is-pushing-ukraine-toward-concessions-that-will-backfire/ https://kyivindependent.com/kellogg-condemns-russias-mass-attack-against-ukraine-on-christmas-day/ ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation https://prytulafoundation.org NGO “Herojam Slava” https://heroiamslava.org/ kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemysl https://kharpp.com/ NOR DOG Animal Rescue https://www.nor-dog.org/home/ ----------