With the uncertainty in the economy, here are some great get-in-now investment tips
The “Tropical storms ruins our plans” edition
I awoke to the sounds of howler monkeys roaring their disapproval1. The rain on the roof was incredibly loud yet somehow I had slept in. My normal perky snark became a gloomy “why are we even here?” mood. Expresses my thoughts about the first piece perfectly.
QUICKBYTES: How low can Instagram scammers go? There is no bottom
Normally I would have made this a main course except the whole thing is too disgusting. Here is this particular swindle in a nutshell:
These fraudsters steal images of various people - usually creators - on Instagram, then use AI to make them look like they have Down’s syndrome, which then leads you into adult content where they have monetized a complete range of fetishes. Evidently there are hundreds of thousands purchasers of their material. In addition, just like on every other social platform, there are people willing to show you how to pull off this scam in detail, for a price.
So what started with a few accounts is now is a whole industry called AI pimping. Beautiful!
Of course, Meta, led by an indignant “Guardian of the Good” Mark Zuckerberg is all over getting rid…..wait, no, evidently the Zuck doesn’t give a f*ck and this is proliferating. Remember though: AI and social platforms mean good things for society!
This is why I limit my Facebook and Instagram usage to 60 seconds each per day. Maybe its time to just jack them both in.
SECONDI - 5 Potential Startup investments. Get in Early!
I’ll start this off with maybe the best idea. Here is a company that is developing a satellite to eat dead satellites and use their metal for fuel. Compliments of Elon we will soon have so much space junk orbiting and crashing into earth that I hope this works.
Here is a great one because evidently our younger members of society have trouble verbalizing any possible request that might result in the slightest discomfort or conflict. Plus as you know, going out to eat in restaurants is a brand new activity, so we are inexperienced in determining who pays for what. So here is yet another bill splitting app to ease financial awkwardness when dining together. A technology to “fix” something technology has caused.
Run don’t walk to this great one which rewards recalcitrant walkers with gifts for their steps. Skip Fitbit; get WeWard instead. Led by champion investor, er tennis champion, Venus Williams, it sounds like GroupOn with even less of a business model. How is GroupOn doing anyway? Down over 99% from their IPO price. Hmmm?
This next one may be just for really young investors. Here is a 19 year old who has created a social platform for car maintenance. Why? Because it needs to be disrupted. Are we creating a world of infantile people who can do nothing except click on software buttons? How hard is it to get your car maintained? I see it is aimed at Telsa and Mercedes drivers. I get it now!
My final investment tip is a complete virtual AI recruiting program. Get rid of those pesky humans in Human Resources and your employee problems will be solved. Don’t know about you, but I get mega-cognitive dissonance when I switch between reading unadulterated AI hype like this, and actual scientific researchers or analytical studies that break AI models in seconds. But if you believe in the former, fire your recruiters and invest in this product.
MENU MISTAKES
Vib - now short for the longwinded vibes - replaces data, analyses, and forecasts. The feeling economy we call it
I thought Hollywood was worried about AI replacing screenwriters. Pillaging from social platforms is evidently the latest big concern.
Will be back on Thursday, in perhaps a better mood. Thanks as always for reading. Likes, comments and restacks really appreciated
The local lore is that howler monkey’s roar with the approach of rain and possibly don’t like it. Seems like they might be living in the wrong place then. I typed furiously as they keep up the noise all morning.
As always David, this gave me some much needed chuckles. The bill splitting app - just ask for separate checks or, wait for it, estimate the totals.
‘AI pimping’ eh?
It's hard to believe this is where we’ve ended up (sarcasm), but here we are. Meta’s lack of action? No surprise there, I guess Zuck’s too busy guarding the gates of indifference.
And don’t even get me started on the startup ideas. Satellites eating space junk and apps for awkward meal payments? Someone's definitely just sitting in a room asking, 'What ridiculous problem can we solve today?'
I know I was in one today.
I felt my brain cells dying David :(