"What I learned from this experiment is that flooding the internet with an infinite amount of what could pass for journalism is cheap and even easier than I imagined, as long as I didn't respect the craft, my audience, or myself. I also learned that while AI has made all of this much easier, faster, and better, the advent of generative AI did not invent this practice—it's simply adding to a vast infrastructure of tools and services built by companies like WordPress, Fiverr, and Google designed to convert clicks to dollars at the expense of quality journalism and information, polluting the internet we all use and live in every day." I Paid $365.63 to Replace 404 Media With AI

"Luckily, after going through this process, I also learned that while doing this is profitable to some, the practice relies on a fundamental misunderstanding of what journalism is, what makes it good, and therefore gives me more confidence than ever that a fully automated blog will never be able to replace 404 Media, or other investigative news outlets."

The search for the mysterious company behind a scheme to steal Elvis Presley's Graceland estate ended last week, not in Nigeria--where initial clues seemed to lead--but at the front door of "a grandmother in Branson, Missouri, a con woman with a decades long rap sheet of romance scams, forged checks and bank fraud totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars, for which she did time in state and federal prison."

This just in: the Supreme Court has issued their opinion (.pdf) on FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, and it's unanimous. The plaintiffs lack the standing to challenge the FDA on the abortion medication drug mifepristone. Previously.

With legislative and social attacks against trans people across the US, you may have missed some of the more encouraging stories. Here's just a few: 1. Federal Court Blocks First State Law Restricting Health Care for Transgender Adults. The ruling in Doe v. Ladapo found that Florida SB 254 and the related Boards of Medicine (BOM) rules were motivated by disapproval of transgender people and violate the equal protection rights of transgender individuals and parents of transgender minors in Florida.

2. New state program expands transgender, LGBTQ care. [T]he initiative will expand comprehensive and medically necessary care for transgender, gender-diverse, and LGBTQ+ people throughout Illinois. This program equips organizations that currently serve LGBTQ+ communities to increase their capacity to provide culturally- and medically-competent gender-affirming care. 3. Majority of Americans approve of trans and non-binary people living as they wish, survey finds. 80 per cent of Americans said they somewhat or strongly approve of gay and lesbian people living as they wish. Sixty-seven per cent said the same about trans and non-binary people. 4. First trans woman to become Miss Maryland USA wants to inspire trans kids. On June 1, Bailey Anne Kennedy became the first trans woman to be crowned Miss Maryland USA. She now hopes that her victory will inspire LGBTQ+ kids across the nation. 5. Funds for the Dolls: Uplifting Trans Women of Color in Arts. Theatre Communications Group (TCG) launches Funds for the Dolls, awarding grants to trans women of color in the performing arts. The program, led by Merrique Jenson and Qween Jean, aims to uplift and support TWOC, providing unrestricted funds for artistic projects or essential needs.